New Delhi: The Indian Army is opening new vistas for women to give them more opportunities and combat roles and become more involved in the security of the country.
The Indian Army has begun online registration to recruit women in the corps of military police. So far women were inducted in as officers only. This is the first time they are given opportunity to serve the country in the capacity of a soldier.
Army officials said, “Online registration will start today for the recruitment of women as jawans and the last date for it is June 8. The project was first mooted by Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat soon after he took charge of the force.”
Women will be inducted in a graded manner to eventually comprise 20% of total corps of Military Police and their role would range from probing crime cases to assisting the army in field operations wherever required.
At present women are allowed in areas such as medical, legal, educational, signals and engineering wings of the army. However, last year General Bipin Rawat said that the process to allow women in combat role was moving fast.
The army plans to induct 800 women into the Military Police with 52 personnel each year. The role of Military Police are to police cantonments and army establishments, preventing the breach of rules and regulations by soldiers, maintaining movement of soldiers as well as logistics during peace and war, handling prisoners of war and extending aid to civil police.
Government data shows that the Army has a 3.80% presence of women, the Air Force has 13.09% and the Navy 6%.
