New Delhi: Army Chief Gen. M.M. Naravane said on Thursday that letters were being sent to all women officers asking whether they would prefer permanent commissions. He said that the Army had prepared a roadmap for granting permanent commission to women officers. The Army Chief said the process will be the same for men and women officers. Gen. Naravane claimed the force was championing gender equality and the SC order granting permanent commission to women officers will give it a lot of clarity, moving forward.
The Supreme Court on Monday directed that women officers in the Army be granted permanent commissions and command posts. “The Indian Army does not discriminate against any soldier based on religion, caste, creed, or even gender. The outlook of the Indian Army has been throughout like this and that is why we started inducting women officers as early as in 1993,” Gen. Naravane said.
The Army has taken the initiative to induct women in its rank and file, and the first batch of 100 women soldiers is undergoing training at the Corps of Military Police Centre and School, he said.
“The Supreme Court’s decision is a welcome one as it brings out a sense of clarity and purpose to gainfully employ officers for better efficiency of the organisation. I must assure that everybody in the Indian Army, including women officers, will be given equal opportunity to contribute to the nation as also progress in their careers,” he said, hailing the verdict as an enabling one.
Asked on the health condition of hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, he said the security forces are geared up to take care of any situation. On the proposed creation of a theatre command exclusively for J&K, he said there will be detailed discussions before anything is finalised.
