NEW DELHI: In an important, one-of-its-kind comprehensive study of the women Commanding Officers (COs) within the Indian Army's crucial 17 Corps, some positive inputs were noted, but a majority of the officers called for changes right at the training levels.
The study involved women officers posted in the Army's Brahmastra Corps (17 Corps), which had eight such officers in command (other than AMC). The in-house review, based on the demonstrated performance of these officers, identified issues in the areas of interpersonal relations, an exaggerated tendency to complain, over-exerting command, centralized decision-making, a misplaced sense of entitlement, lack of empathy, low tolerance to ambiguity, and a lack of ambition.
The study not only highlighted problem areas but also delved into the reasons behind these concerns, offering recommendations for further investigation.
The Cabinet Committee on Security had cleared the raising of the Mountain Strike Corps (MSC), known as the 17th MSC or Brahmastra Corps, in 2013, with China in mind. One of the four strike corps, it was to have nearly 90,000 troops.
On the interpersonal front, the study found serious concerns: "Most cases pertain to a lack of tact and understanding of the personal requirements of unit personnel, especially officers." It also noted that "the emphasis is more on conflict termination through might, rather than conflict resolution through mutual respect."
The study identified "an exaggerated tendency to complain" among women COs, with "an emerging trend of receiving complaints from COs at the drop of a hat." "On the other hand, when enquired, the subordinates pointed toward HR management issues. These issues often start with mundane ego problems and spiral out of control in most cases. Such mundane cases are seldom reported by male counterparts when commanding units, indicating a predisposition to lean on the hierarchy as soon as an adverse situation develops."
Women COs were also found to resort to centralized decision-making with no consultative approach. In one instance, a CO insisted that the Subedar Major (seniormost junior commissioned officer) open the door of her vehicle upon her arrival in the unit, contrary to orders on the subject. In another case, a woman CO specifically directed that an individual be sent to open the gate of her house at 0800 hours when she would go out for a walk.
The study, carried out over the past year, provided insight into the command styles of women officers. Casual discussions with officers at various echelons also contributed to the findings.
Encouraging inputs were also noted. The Corps Commander recommended, "A large number of inputs have highlighted common traits and trends that need to be studied, analyzed, and discussed for the benefit of future commanders, as well as the overall interest of the organization."
The report also attempted to understand the underlying factors contributing to these issues. Some key aspects included the lack of training for women officers to be commanders, preferential task allotments, and resultant lack of compassion.
Women officers were inducted as a support cadre and were neither trained nor groomed to be COs, the report states, adding that preferential treatment "resulted in a lack of understanding of hardships and a resultant lack of compassion for troops involved in these tasks."
Contributing factors included a desire to prove oneself in a predominantly male-dominated field and perceived gender bias. "In order to be perceived as strong and avoid being judged as soft-hearted (which is often attributed to gender), women COs handle HR issues more firmly than their male counterparts. This may lead to a distinct lack of empathy toward their command," the study found.
Quoting Lieutenant Colonel Anita Khatri in a much-celebrated interview, the study highlighted the aspect of reverse gender bias: "She pointed out that her achievement (89 para jumps) was celebrated while male officers with approximately 3,000 jumps were not even mentioned."
The study describes this as a rare instance where a woman officer understood the overenthusiasm in the acknowledgment of her achievements. Most officers may not grasp this subtle differentiation.
"Being in the limelight and seeking immediate gratification for minor achievements becomes a developed need that drives disproportionate ambition among women COs," the report notes.
The study suggests that these issues and the attributes contributing to them represent only a small part of the broader gender puzzle. It stresses that certain course corrections are necessary to improve the overall quality of command in future units. The report calls for a comprehensive policy on gender neutrality, a review of policies on spouse postings, and training for instructors at institutes of instruction to ensure gender-neutral assessments of course performance.
"Women officers are an empowered group. Hence, showcasing/involvement of women officers in women empowerment roles, such as women-only bike adventure activities, should be minimized," the report recommends.
Additionally, an increase in HR management content for the next batches of senior command training for women officers is recommended, with a focus on case studies to bring out important lessons.
As TNIE previously reported, the first set of 108 women officers were posted by the end of January 2023 to various command assignments across different Arms and Services (Engineers, Signals, Army Air Defence, Intelligence Corps, Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps, and Electrical & Mechanical Engineers).
Officers for the rank of Colonel and above are selected by a board of officers. An officer ranked as Colonel commands independent functional units of the Indian Army and carries out tasks on the ground. Above this rank, formations such as Brigades, Divisions, and Corps are commanded by Brigadiers, Major Generals, and Lieutenant Generals, respectively.
Since the command of a unit is the most crucial responsibility in the Indian Army and the key to progression to higher ranks, it is imperative that a pragmatic performance analysis be undertaken for women Commanding Officers.