A NEEDLESS CONTROVERSY

THE INTEGRATION OF women in the armed forces has been debated worldwide. The same is the case with the Indian Army as it continues to march towards gender inclusivity, as the role and performance of women officers have gained increasing prominence. Women have continually shattered glass ceilings, the latest being commanding units.

- MAJ GEN JAGATBIR SINGH

However, challenges remain and these have been brought to the fore in a recent letter by Lieutenant General Rajeev Puri, commander of the 17 Corps, to his superior, the Eastern Army Commander. The letter in no way diminishes the role of women in the Army. The issue is not about women's right to equal opportunity, but the imperative to balance gender equality with the concern about equal suitability for command of units.

Women were first inducted into the Indian armed forces in the early 1990s. Those days women officers had to face policy obstacles-being eligible only for Short Service Commissions that limited their career progression and marginalised their presence. Also, cultural inhibitions arising from gender stereotyping and patriarchal bias in the male-dominated armed forces denied them certain opportunities. Despite these barriers, women over the past three decades achieved seniority and leadership across the services and many biases have faded due to their remarkable performance.

The year 2023 was a landmark moment-women were given command of units on par with their male counterparts. And 108 women officers out of 224 from the 1992 to the 2006 batches were screened by a special selection board in January 2023 for promotion to the rank of colonel. Those selected assumed command appointments. This selection board was a one-time measure to clear the backlog following the 2020 Supreme Court judgment granting parity for permanent commission and promotion with their male counterparts. But the larger question remains-were the armed forces being pushed to accommodate executive decisions irrespective of whether the institution is prepared for them or not?