Centre’s Plan to Boost Women in Army

Minister of State for Defence, Ajay Bhatt, informed the Rajya Sabha that the government has a plan to increase the number of women in the Indian Army. As part of major initiatives, 20 vacancies for Women Army cadets per year have been allotted in the National Defence Academy, Pune, starting from July 2022.

Mr. Bhatt mentioned that the Short Service Commission has 90 vacancies for women, with an additional 10 vacancies increased since June 2023. Furthermore, the government has approved the induction of women officers into Artillery units and the Remount and Veterinary Corps since March 2023.

The entry of women officers as pilots in Army Aviation began in June 2021, and the enrolment of women in other ranks in the Corps of Military Police in the Indian Army began in 2019.

As of July 1, 2023, there are 1,212 women in the Army Medical Corps (AMC), 168 in the Army Dental Corps (ADC), and 3,841 in the Military Nursing Service (MNS).

Excluding AMC, ADC, and MNS, the total number of women officers in the Indian Army is 1,733 as of January 1, 2023.

The information was provided in response to CPI MP Sandosh Kumar P’s query regarding the number of women in Indian Army medical and non-medical cadres and the government’s plan to increase their representation in the Indian Army.
Re-reported from the article published in NDTV