Another feather goes to the cap of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). It has broken the taboo set up against induction of women soldiers in the organization. There are about a thousand woman employee sin ITBP but not in the combat units. According to heartening news coming from ITBP responsible quarters, the organization has lifted the ban on the recruitment of women as constables and sending them to the frontline security structure after they complete formal training, which spreads over a period of two years.
Speaking on the eve of the forces 54th Raising Day, ITBP Director General Krishna Chaudhary told reporters that relations between China and India on Ladakh border were not war-like. No doubt, there was some difference in perception and that did not mean confrontation and enmity. Speaking about PLA deployment close to the border, he said it was to guard the border and not wage a war. However, notwithstanding a non-alarmist attitude of the chief of ITBP Organization, India aims at strengthening her strategic position on the border with China by creating more border posts and inducting smart weather-proof facilities in these areas prone to snow blizzards and blinding storms. For example, it has established six new border posts in Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh this year. ITBP will create 50 new posts and will be deploying 8,000 troops along China border. There is the proposal of sanctioning 10 new battalions so that the force can have more units for rest and recuperation as most of the border guarding troops serve in extremely hard areas and icy conditions.
The decision of the Government to deploy women personnel in combat duties at its high-altitude posts along the Indo-China border is welcome. The force is training a special contingent of 500 ‘mahila’ constables for the task and these personnel are expected to take position at the border by early next year. Noticeably, this is for the first time that women personnel will be deployed in full combat role right at the border. The aim is that women should work shoulder-to-shoulder with men in this force. ITBP is preparing infrastructure for them at these locations and they will take charge soon. ITBP Chief, Chaudhary said the force has already sent a request to the UPSC that it is interested in inducting women officers in the entry-rank of Assistant Commandants (ACs). This decision is a big moral booster for a large number of young women in the country aspiring to participate in the active fighting as regulars.
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