The long wait is over. The Indian Army has kickstarted its recruitment drives for the first batch of women soldiers, expected to be selected from all across the country for non-combat roles. Rallies have been conducted in several cantonments, including those in Shillong and Lucknow.
In fact, media reports say, the selection tests are being carried out for the first batch of 100 women soldiers to be inducted into the Corps of Military Police.
Media reports quoted Army officials as saying that women from West Bengal, Odisha and Sikkim have taken part in the two-day Shillong rally, whereas women aspirants from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have participated in the Lucknow rally. Candidates selected in these rallies would have to clear a written test in order to be eligible for training. After an extensive training period, spanning more than 60 weeks, the selected candidates would be inducted in 2021.
Indian Army aims to induct 100 women soldiers every year for the next 17 years to reach 1700 women soldiers in the Corps of Military Police. After getting inducted in the Corps, the selected candidates would carry out, among other things, duties of policing cantonments and other Army establishments. These women soldiers would also work along with the central and state police forces.
At the moment, women are recruited for selected roles in medical, education, legal, signals and engineering wings and only as officers. Ground-based combat roles will continue to remain closed for women, according to media reports.