In a first, Indian Army clears over 30 women officers for command roles

New Delhi [India], January 16 (ANI): Further empowering female officers, the Indian Army has cleared more than 30 women officers for command roles.
The Indian Army is holding promotion boards for 108 vacancies of select Colonel rank for women officers including batches from 1992 to 2005.
The initial list of over 30 women officers has been cleared from different arms and services including Corps of Engineers, Signals, Ordnance and Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Army officials told ANI.
More lists would be coming out soon as the boards would be compiled and results would be announced, they said.
The women officers clearing the boards would be given command roles and they could also be considered for future promotions also to higher ranks in the force.
Army headquarters officials said women are serving proudly and confidently in various operational theatres of the Indian Army.
"Women officers are being given opportunities at par with their male counterparts. The process for selection of women officers to tenant command assignments in Colonel rank is in progress," they said.
Recently, a woman officer from the 57 Engineers regiment was deployed in the Siachen Glacier and has been tasked in operations there.
Women soldiers are also being inducted through the Agnipath entry scheme.
The first batch of over 100 women Agniveers will join their training centre in Bengaluru in March 2023.
Army has also started deployment of women soldiers in joint exercises with friendly foreign countries and in peacekeeping missions.
"We have considerably stepped up the role of our women soldiers in various UN Peacekeeping missions. In consonance with the United Nations' Gender Parity drive, we recently deployed an Enhanced Female Engagement Team comprising of two officers and 25 women soldiers to the strive torn Abeyi region of Africa to provide relief and assistance to women and children in one of the most challenging operational and terrain conditions under the UN flag," an official said.
Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande is in favour of giving all possible opportunities to the women officers and soldiers and their entry into the artillery regiments is expected to be cleared soon.
The Army has sent a proposal to the government in this regard and is also looking to open more avenues for them in line with the central government's policy in this regard. (ANI)