Indian Govt Plans to Increase Number of Women in Army: MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 1st Aug. “Yes, Sir,” the government has a plan to increase the number of women in the Indian Army, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said Monday in response to a member’s question.

In announcing the key initiatives, the Minister stated that 20 vacancies for Women Army cadets will be available at the National Defence Academy in Pune beginning in July 2022.

He stated that the Short Service Commission has 90 positions for women, with an additional 10 vacancies added with effect from June 2023.

However, Bhatt said, approval has been given, since March 2023 for the induction of women officers into Artillery units as well as Remount and Veterinary Corps.

He said the entry of women officers as pilots in Army Aviation commenced with effect from

June 2021, and the enrolment of women in other ranks in the Corps of Military Police in the Indian Army commenced in 2019.

As per the Minister, the total number of women in Indian Army medical cadres, as on July 1, 2023, is 1,212 in Army Medical Corps (AMC); 168 in Army Dental Corps (ADC); 3,841 in Military Nursing Service (MNS).

He also added that the total number of women officers in the Indian Army (excluding AMC, ADC and MNS) as on January 1, 2023 is 1,733.

Bhatt was responding to the query of CPI MP Sandosh Kumar P when he asked about the number of women in Indian Army medical and non-medical cadres; and the government’s plan to increase the number of women in the Indian Army.