The Indian Army had started the process of granting permanent commission to short service commissioned women officers in various streams in July and the first-ever board's results has been announced in this matter. According to the sources in the Indian Army, 49 percent of women officers would continue to serve in the force, around 320 women officers would retire after 20 years of pensionable service and 615 women officers under consideration for being granted a permanent commission, ANI reported.

"Indian Army today declared results of the first-ever board held for granting Permanent Commission to Women officers. Around 49% women officers would continue to serve in the force. Around 320 women officers would retire after 20 years of pensionable service," Army sources told news agency ANI.

Women in Indian Army
Women to get permanent commission in all 10 branches of Indian Army(Photo: joinindianarmy.nic.in)

Empowering women officers in the force

The Ministry of Defence had approved the grant of permanent commission to women officers in the Indian Army. Under the grant, Permanent Commission to Short Service Commissioned (SSC) Women Officers is applicable in all 10 streams of the Indian Army, including Army Air Defence (AAD), Signals, Engineers, Army Aviation, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME), Army Service Corps (ASC), Army Ordnance Corps (AOC), and Intelligence Corps in addition to the existing streams of Judge and Advocate General (JAG) and Army Educational Corps (AEC).

Women in Indian army
Reuters

In February this year, the Supreme Court had granted permanent commission to women officers of the Indian army. Women officers aged between 30-50 years with 10 to over 20 years of service experience are to compete with their male counterparts aged between 25-30 years for permanent commission. Following the SC order, the Army started the process to give serving women officers a bigger role and would be considered for permanent commission.