Brig Arun Bajpai
In more than 200 years old gold studded history of the Indian armed forces, whenever 25 Jan 2015 will be talked about, the impeccably led tri service guard of honour to the World’s only superpower President Barrack Obama, led by Wing Commander Puja Thakur of Air force will always be remembered. Puja Thakur not only created a history she also impressed the country by her bearing, her drill, her confidence and set a new bench mark for the Nari Shakti and gender equality. This was followed by the superlative display of her counterparts next day on the occasion of India’s 66th Republic Day Parade on Raj path where President Obama was the Chief Guest. The women officers marching columns of Army, Air Force and Navy led by Captain Divya Ajith, squadron leader Sneha Shekhawat and Lt Commander Sandhya Chuahan respectively, participating for the first time in Republic Day parade won the hearts of the country. However the sad part of the Nari Shakti display of the armed forces is that most of these lady officers will be shown the door by the armed forces after they complete their 14 years short term service, denying them even the pensionary benefits because one gets eligible for pension only after 20 years service. It is time Armed forces of India change their attitude towards women.
Agreed that there is debate going on in armies’ world over whether women should be given combat role? Lot of countries have decided in affirmative. What women power can do in combat has been very recently demonstrated by the Peshmarga Kurdish women fighters in Iraqi town of Kobana where they have beaten back the most violent and cruel jehadi army of ISIS and retaken this town from them. In India, point which is pertinent to us is that if for 14 years we can allow a lady to work as an officer on a particular post, earn her pay and promotions in non fighting arms, why send her home after 14 years when her male counterparts can carry on up to 60 years of service.(Col -54, Brig- 56, Maj Gen -58 and Lt Gen- 60).What stops us from granting her permanent commission, like her male counter parts? This is happening when Delhi High court has rightly directed the Army in 2010 that the women officers must also be granted permanent commission in supporting arms. Instead of accepting this order Army has gone to SC against this decision of Delhi High court where the case is still pending.
Currently there are 10000 officers less in Army, 1200 officers are less in Air force and 700 less in Navy. While Air force and Navy being equipment oriented force are more liberal in inducting lady officers and giving them permanent commission, the problem is with the Army. Lack of such a large number of officers in the Army specially in fighting arms like infantry, armoured corps, Artillery and to certain extent corps of engineers is badly affecting the day to day management including welfare of troops and their fighting efficiency.
It is not that youth in sufficient numbers are not appearing in Combined Defence Services Exams being held by UPSC twice a year. The problem lies in SSB, the five day selection process of the armed forces, of those youth who qualify in CDS written exams and come in merit. These tests are oriented towards judging the intelligence and leadership capabilities of the youth because as an officer they will be dealing with decisions involving life and death of the troops under their command. These tests are very well planned, sophisticated and accurate. It is here that most of the youth fail because the right material is not coming to serve the country.
The paradox is that girls who are coming for these tests qualify in hordes but despite having qualified in the written exams and the SSB lot of these girls are denied the opportunity to serve in Army because the army has kept the quota of girls very small. In keeping with age and education qualification, normally a person gets about three to four chances to appear in CDS Exams and SSB. What is so bad is that there are number of cases of the girls who have qualified in all these chances both in CDS, SSB and even in medical tests but still were not given opportunity to serve in army because of quota being very miniscule.
We must understand that in all Armies of the world while the fighting arms fight at the front the supporting arms ensure that supply of arms, ammunition, repair of vehicles, armaments and food as also fuel is maintained from rear to forward. This role is performed First by Army Supply Core (ASC) which caters for food supplies, vehicles and transportation. Second by Army Ordinance Corps (AOC) which caters for all types of arms and ammunition and spares. Third by Electrical and Mechanical Corps (EME) catering for repair and maintenance of arms and vehicles. Large number of male army officers serves in these supporting arms.
In view of the large deficiency in officer cadre of the army, time has come now when Army must change its mindset and stop treating lady officers as dolls in uniform. Currently army is giving permanent commission to lady officers only in Army Education Branch and Legal Branch. Now permanent commission must be opened in supporting arms also in a gradual manner to lady officers and the male officers should be commissioned more in fighting arms. Even those male officers who are already in supporting arms should be seconded to fighting arms as the lady officers take over duties from them. This will take care of the large deficiency in officer cadre of the army.
It is not that the army has put these road blocks for lady officers intake because it is not open to the concept of gender equality. The biggest worry for the army is that it thinks that since bulk of Indian army, below officer rank comes from rural background so the army feels that it may be difficult for the troops to work under a lady officer in the same way they work under a male officer. The reason being that in rural India women still have not got the equal status with males, despite all rules and regulations and constitutional guarantee to women. But then this gives an opportunity to army to educate the troops to accept the gender equality which Army should take it as challenge. This will be another great service to the nation. All said and done we cannot play with the future of these lady officers. Their quota must be increased in Army and they must be given permanent commission in supporting arms.
(The author is Defence and Strategic Analyst)
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