In an effort to give equal chances to women officers, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the posting of Territorial Army (TA) officers to strategically important the Line of Contro (LoC) in Jammu & Kashmir facing Pakistan. The LOC is nearly 750 km long.
Similarly, the Republic Day parade next year at Kartavya Path here may see full women marching contingents and those in the tableaux and band contingents. So far, women officers used to lead or be in second in command of the marching contingents comprising all male soldiers.
This proposal may have a problem as the Services including the Army, Navy and IAF, at present, do not have large number of women serving in the ranks or as soldiers. Therefore, to have a full-women contingent may not be possible, sources said here on Sunday.
However, central para-military forces will be able to field all women marching contingents as they started inducting women as soldiers many years ago and have sizeable numbers besides women as officers.
As regards the LOC posting, the Territorial Army is based on a Citizen Soldiers’ army concept and officers undergo Annual Training on basic military skills while remaining gainfully employed in civilian life.
Giving details here on Sunday, defence ministry officials said Rajnath gave the nod for posting of women officers of the TA with Engineer Regiments of the TA and as staff officers at TA Group Headquarters/ Directorate General of Territorial Army at New Delhi, as per organizational requirement.
This progressive policy measure is aimed at enhancing the scope of employment of Women Officers as well as meeting their professional aspirations. They will now serve and train under the same conditions as their male counterparts in a wider range of units and appointments.
The Territorial Army had commenced commissioning of women Officers since 2019, in Ecological Task Force Units, TA Oil sector units and TA Railway Engineer Regiment. Based on the experience gained during this period, it has been decided to extend the scope of further employment for women officers in TA.
On all women contingents for the Republic Day parade, sources said the defence ministry, in March, had circulated an office memorandum to the three Services and various ministries and departments on the planning for the 2024 parade, they said. The memorandum mentioned such a proposal being considered and added that a “de-briefing meeting” was held under the chairmanship of the defence secretary in early February.
After deliberations, it was decided that the Republic Day Parade 2024 will have only women participants in the contingents (marching and band), tableaux and other performances during the parade at the Kartavya Path, says the memorandum.