New Delhi: The Army has approved a study with an aim to increase the number of women officers in the force by 2037, the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi has said.
Giving an estimate of the number of women in the Army currently, the COAS, during a media briefing ahead of 77th Army Day, said, “In the NDA as of today, we have 60 women Army cadets and every year, we are looking at [inducting] 20 cadets. Also, in the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA)—Chennai and Gaya—we are looking at 120 per year.”
When it comes to inducting women in the Other Ranks (ORs), it involves a change in Section 12 of the Army Act, he said. The Army is looking at a 12 times increase in women’s induction in ORs by 2032, he added. “We are wanting to make it 1,200. Then slowly to 1,700 per year. We have to slowly prepare the society and the military for that. When it comes to the Guardian force, women can play a very important role,” General Dwivedi said.
Currently, the total number of women officers is 8,000, he said. The Territorial Army recently opened up for women and 110 vacancies will come up for women, he added.
The announcement about the increase in the number of women officers comes only months after Lieutenant General Rajeev Puri, a Corps Commander, wrote a five-page letter to Lieutenant General Ram Chander Tiwari, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command, citing issues affecting Army units led by women officers.
Lieutenant General Puri’s letter raised concerns such as a “misplaced sense of entitlement”, “lack of empathy”, and a “tendency to complain,” among other issues. The letter was described as a “pragmatic performance analysis” of eight women Commanding Officers (COs) under the 17 Mountain Strike Corps. Intended as an internal review by the Corps, the letter was leaked to the media in November last year.
Asked about the letter, General Dwivedi said women officers are performing remarkably well in the field. “The letter which got leaked out, shouldn’t have gotten leaked out. A court of inquiry has been ordered about it. It’s a perception, it’s his perception (and) he has all the right to give out that perception and comment. It’s an internal communication.”
He added that it is important to consider the context when women officers were made COs of their units. “When we made them commanding officers…this was based on the Supreme Court order and where the complete process was accelerated.”
General Dwivedi explained that when an officer is made a CO, the Army ensures they are given exposure in various fields and are required to complete several courses. However, for women officers, the Junior Command course was replaced with a shorter course.
By this, General Dwivedi meant that women officers did not undergo all the requisite experience and training that empowers a commanding officer. Since it was directed by the Supreme Court to appoint women COs, hurried training was imparted, including truncated junior command.
An Army source told ThePrint that incidentally, a senior command course was run exclusively for women COs.
“The contact and the bonding with the troops was less. Lot of exceptions were given. When you have this kind of a situation, you may have some kind of surprises. Overall if you see, today we have 115 commanding officers who are commanding and 18 are already approved and ready,” General Dwivedi said.
“Maximum women officers will be found in the Northern Command. I have the first-hand experience to say so. You will always find all kinds of officers. [However], wherever I have seen, the women officers have been very mature, considerate and kind. And if I can say, up and about,” he added.
General Dwivedi highlighted the achievements of Col Ponung Doming, and said she might receive an award this year.
“When I was in the Northern Command, along Demchok, where one of the most difficult roads is being built, she was always present. When I visited Umling La, the highest motorable pass, she was there. At an underground cavern, she was there as well,” he recalled.
He reiterated that one example cannot serve as a yardstick.
“Today, I just wish to assure you, women officers were doing exceedingly well,” he said. “Today, there are approximately 16 women officers who are doing Staff College. There are women officers who are pilots in the aviation branch also. In the regiment of artillery, you are already aware, we have already started induction. In the TA battalion, AOC battalion, I have first hand experience to say so—they are doing exceedingly well.”
He said that the Army wants a strong woman officer, who is “Kaali mata ka roop”. However, this means that there has to be a gender neutral approach in the conduct and field infrastructure, he added. “In Sikkim and Mizoram, the Army is already ensuring this.”
He also suggested that physical test parameters should be nearly the same for men and women, though some exceptions might be necessary due to physical conditions.
Currently, 1,700 women are training in Sainik schools, military schools, and Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC). “This means they will join the Army and tri-services in the future. Induction of women officers is inevitable and will be welcomed,” he said.
General Dwivedi added that the Army plans to raise an all-women skydiving display team by 2025.
(Edited by Radifah Kabir)
Also Read: India-China border tensions: Army chief says ‘degree of standoff’ still there, rules out troop cuts