A Milestone! 422 women officers to get PC in Indian Army
NEW DELHI: The Army found its first batch of women officers as per the result of a special board declassified in November.
As many as 615 officers were considered by the board for grant of permanent commission (PC). The special board found 422 women officers fit for PC.
The grant of PC to Short Service Commissioned (SSC) Women Officers is in 10 streams — Army Air Defence, Signals, Engineers, Army Aviation, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps and Intelligence Corps in addition to the existing streams of Judge and Advocate General and Army Education Corps.
However, 68 officers have not been granted PC and are being released with a pension, said an officer. There are 106 women officers who’ve been granted extension of up to 20 years pensionable service, he said.
There are 57 women officers among the 422 who have opted out even after they were found fit for PC. Some such officers have been put in Temporary Low Medical Categories (TLMC).
“There are 42 officers under the TLMC who have been granted time for stabilisation of the medical category and these include the officers bearing pregnancy and temporary ailments.”
The special board has withheld the result of 40 officers on administrative grounds. The first batch of 25 women cadets had joined OTA, Chennai, in September 1992. Many of the women officers who attended the board have spent more than 20 years in service and are at the ranks of Major or Lt. Colonel.
Speaking to TMS, a serving women officer said, “This is another milestone for the women in services. Although not many of us will rise due to the paucity of the remaining years in service, the women at the junior level are going to rise and serve at the ranks of General in future.” The Supreme Court had in February paved the way for PC for women officers.
Finally eligible for permanent commission
Of the 615 women officers considered for permanent commission, 422 were found fit by the Army Selection Board.
More officers under consideration
However, as many as 57 of the 422 opted out of PC. Of the 193 who were found ineligible, 68 are being released with pension, a senior Army officer said.
And 106 others have been given a pensionable service extension of up to 20 years. Apart from the 615, another 42 officers, currently on medical leave, are to be considered for PC at a later date.
‘A milestone for women in services’
“This is another milestone for the women in services,” a serving women officer said. “Women at the junior level are going to rise and serve at the ranks of General in future,” she added.
The Supreme Court, in a landmark ruling in February, said women officers are entitled to permanent commission in the Army.