CPC's: Military Cheated in Fixation of Basic Pay

Ref: Army faces shortage of officers
COMMENTS:

Recently there was news that in police force there is huge shortage of officers, and now army too. In country with billions of population and unemployment among educated youth its hard to understand defence ministers logic.
from: ghanshyamGhanshyam Dwivedi Posted on: Sep 30, 2012 at 09:25 IST

As long as the bureaucracy continues to cheat the armed forces of their legitimate rights,parents will dissuade their children from joining the Force. In a judgement given on 4th Sept, the Supreme Court found fault with the implementation of the 4th CPC and ordered a payment to all affected personnel. The so- called steps towards One Rank One Pension is actually a disguised correction to a case of cheating in the 6th CPC recommendations where retired officers have lost a considerable amount in their pension fixation. To avoid paying a large amount of arrears this correction has been made prospective. Even if the case goes to the Supreme Court the UOI will try to waive of at least the interest burden. A retired Major lost over Rs.3500/-pm due to this. This coupled with Dearness Allowance has created a loss of nearly 4 Lakhs of rupees till now. Keeping these cases in mind the parents are apprehensive of their children joining the Armed Forces as they maybe cheated in future.
from: S N IYER Posted on: Sep 30, 2012 at 09:48 IST <>br>

Although pay structures in the armed forces have substantially improved in recent time, the honor & dignity associated with the uniform has taken a steep downward slide over the years.Earlier even the scions of the princely states used to deem it great honour to be officers in the armed forces -while now they all want to be in politics & why not. I do recall in the mid sixties a simple letter while commanding a unit to the District Collector could elicit favourable reply to resolve an airman's problem. Will it happen now-when feeling has gone around that one has to fight it out in the to get even rank pay after 25 years legal marathon. Govt must avoid bad publicity it is getting by ex servicemen coming on streets and improve service conditions substantially & restore the protocol as it was in the fifties. Soldiers must have their place in the society. Govt can take help of Defence Institute of Psychological Research of DRDO to find out why bright young men are avoiding career in the armed forces.
from: Air Cmde Raghubir Singh Retd Posted on: Sep 30, 2012 at 10:28 IST

OROP: Army faces shortage of officers

VINAY KUMAR The Hindu Sunday September 30, 2012
Programmes under way in several colleges and universities to motivate the youth to join the force
The Indian Army is facing a peculiar problem – not enough youngsters are attracted to join the 1.1-million strong force as officers.
Expressing concern at the situation, the Army Chief, General Bikram Singh, has said that about 10,500 officers are needed. The shortage, he said, was impacting the officer-jawan relationship.
According to official figures, the shortage is around 10,500 in the Army, 1,400 in the Navy and 1,100 in the Air Force.
Union Defence Minister A. K. Antony has said the shortage is “partly attributable to accretions from time to time, tough selection procedures and difficult service conditions coupled with perceived high degree of risk involved in recruitment and training.”
He said a number of steps to attract youth to the armed forces have been taken. These include increase in tenure of Short Service Commission (SSC) officers from 10 years to 14 years, increasing promotional avenues for officers by implementing the A.V. Singh Committee recommendations on restructuring of officers’ cadre of the Indian Army and implementing the suggestions of the Sixth Pay Commission report. Last week, the Government had broadly rolled out the one rank-one pension scheme for ex-servicemen and also hiked family pension.
For the purpose of recruitment, the country is divided into recruiting zones and every zone is allotted a quota based on a percentage of its population and ethnic grouping. A legacy, slowly being diluted, is that of combat arm units or regiments recruiting from a particular zone or mixture of ethnic groups.
The shortage of officers has been plaguing the force for several years, resulting in poor management at the unit level. The Army’s sanctioned strength is about 46,600 officers. Army officials attribute the shortage to accretion in force levels from time to time and say that as a career option the job is characterised by hardship in the form of unsettled life, disruption of children’s education, risk factor and early retirement age. Every year about 600 officers retire as Lt. Colonels and Colonels at the age of 54.
The Army Chief said programmes were being held in several colleges and universities to motivate the youth to join the force.
“The youngsters feel motivated to join but their motivation level goes down when they discuss the Army as a career option with their parents. We intend to reach out to parents. Risks are everywhere but in the armed forces these are managed well,” said General Singh.
“We are taking measures like spreading awareness and convincing parents to send their children into the force to address the shortage. The disenchantment is also affecting soldiers as more than 10,000 took pre-mature retirement from the force last year. In 2011, 10,315 soldiers opted for premature retirement, while the figure for 2010 and 2009 was 7,249 and 7,499 respectively. The jawans, who are better educated than in the past, retire around a productive age of 35 years to look for greener pastures instead of continuing in the force,” senior Army officials added.
They said the Government has sanctioned establishment of two additional Service Selection Boards (SSBs) under the selection centre in the North at Roopnagar, Ropar, in Punjab which would facilitate the intake of more officers.
With its motto of “Live for something rather than die for nothing”, the Army is planning intensive publicity campaigns targeting both urban and rural areas. Officials said a number of “image projection campaigns” have been launched by the recruitment directorate to attract quality youth and spread awareness about the “Army as a career”.
Army faces shortage of officers
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No Permanent Commission for Women in Combat Formations

No permanent status for women in combat areas, Centre tells SC
Published: Monday, Sep 17, 2012, 20:16 IST
Place: New Delhi | Agency: PTI
The government has told the Supreme Court that it would not be possible to grant permanent commission status to women officers in combat wings like infantry, mechanised infantry and armoured corps.
In an additional affidavit filed before the apex court, the defence ministry has said that combat support arms/ services have to sustain prolonged conflict hazards and hence, there is no question of grant of permanent status to women officer either now or in the future.
The ministry has filed the affidavit in connection with the appeal filed by it challenging the Delhi High Court's March 12, 2010, judgment directing the Centre to grant permanent commission status to women short service commissioned officers in the air force and the army.
The Centre while agreeing to implement the direction with regard to the air force has however, expressed its opposition to extending the benefit to women in the army combat and its support units.
"That the grant of permanent commission to women officers in combat arms like infantry, mechanised infantry and armoured corps, which are involved in direct combat with the enemy is ruled out because of their close proximity with the enemy and attendant hazards of battle.
"As regard granting permanent commission to women officers in combat support arms like engineers, signals, army air defence, intelligence and services like electronics mechanical engineers, army service corps and army ordnance corps, the issue has been examined at length," the Centre said justifying its stance.
No permanent status for women in combat areas, Centre tells SC

OTA Passing Out Parade Mar 2012

Young Army officers wait in the wings
Published: Monday, Mar 19, 2012 on 14:25 IST

It turned out to be a Golden Saturday for Joginder Singh Badotra, a former colonel in the Indian Army and his wife, from Kangla district in Himachal Pradesh. Their son Himanshu Badotra, 24, was selected as the best all round cadet and was honoured with the President’s Sword of Honour during the passing out parade of the 284 young officers who successfully completed their 49 week gruesome training in the Officers Training Academy, Chennai. What made the day unique for the Badotras was that their daughter Niharika, a bio-informatics graduate, too passed out with Himanshu on Saturday, making it a golden double for the family.
Himanshu, a graduate in basic sciences, has been posted to 11 Sikh Ganganagar in Rajasthan where he will join hundreds of soldiers of the Indian Army in guarding the country’s borders using hi-tech gadgets and robots. “It’s a dream come true for me. I have never thought of any other profession than that of an Army officer,” a beaming Himanshu told DNA. “He will be the Golden Boy of the OTA since this year we are celebrating our Golden Jubilee year," said a senior OTA faculty.
Parents of all the 287 candidates, selected from all over the country, had made it to the OTA on Saturday to witness the elegant passing out parade where they were declared as commissioned officers of the Indian Army. This year saw 89 women candidates joining different wings of the Army. Niharika has been posted to Ordnance Jodhpur from where she will ensure the prompt dispatch and delivery of crucial components needed by units in the forward areas.
The Batras are not the only family who have sent their children to the armed forces. Prateek Sharma, 25, a zoology graduate of Ghaziabad, is a third generation officer from a family of soldiers. “My father Vijay Kumar Sharma retired as a major from the Indian Army. My elder brother Sourabh is a serving major,” said a beaming Prateek after the pipping ceremony when his father himself decorated him with the two-stars which made him a lieutenant in the Army.
DNA Photo slideshow- Click here
Express Buzz Slideshow- Click here

Combined Defence Services Examinations: Final Results

Combined Defence Services Exam (I) 2011 Final Results Announced
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced the final results of Combined Defence Services Examination (I). A total of 356 candidates (272 Men + 84 Women), have finally qualified on the basis of the results of the Combined Defence Services Examination (I)-2011 conducted by the UPSC and interviews held by the Services Selection Board of the Ministry of Defence for admission to the (i)Officers Training Academy, Chennai for 95th Short Service Commission Course (for Men) and (ii) Officers Training Academy, Chennai 9th Short Service Commission Women (Non-Technical) Course, commencing in April, 2012. The list of 95th Short Service Commission Course (for Men) also includes the names of the candidates who were recommended earlier on the basis of the result of the same examination for admission to the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala and Air Force Academy, Hyderabad (Pre-Flying) Training Course(s).
The number of vacancies as intimated by the Government, for (i) 95th Short Service Commission Course (for Men) is 175 and for (ii) 9th Short Service Commission Women (Non-Technical) Course is 25.
The result of Medical Examination of candidates has not been taken into account in preparing the merit list. The candidature of all the candidates is Provisional. Verification of date of birth and Educational Qualification of these candidates will be done by Army HQ.
Result is available on PIB website i.e www.pib.nic.in and also on the U.P.S.C. website i.e. www.upsc.gov.in. However, marks of the candidates will be available within 15 days from the date of declaration of final result on Commission’s web-site and will be available for 60 days.
UPSC has a Facilitation Counter near Examination Hall Building in its Campus. Candidates may obtain any information/clarification regarding their examination on working hours in person or over telephone No. 011-23385271, 011-23381125 and 011-23098543 from this Counter.
Click here to see list of candidates *** RS/SR
(Release ID :80459)
Click here for the PIB Webpage

Permanent Commission to Women Officers

Armed Forces were requested to prepare a comprehensive coherent policy paper on induction of Women, which has been submitted to the Ministry in August 2011. The policy paper has been considered by the Ministry keeping in view the role and responsibility of the Armed Forces in defending the nation and protecting the territorial integrity of the-country. Based thereon, a Government letter has been issued on 11th November, 2011 inter-alia laying down policy on induction and employment of women in Armed Forces as under:
(i) Women Officers may continue to be inducted as Short Service Commission Officers` (SSCOs) in Branches/Cadres where they are being inducted presently in the three Service`s
(ii) Women SSCOs will be eligible for consideration for grant of permanent commission along with Men SSCOs in specific Branches in the three Services viz. Judge Advocate General (JAG) and Army Education Corps (AEC) of Army and their corresponding branches in Navy and Air Force; Naval constructor in Navy and Accounts branch in Air Force, as specified in Ministry`s letter No:12(i)/2004-D(AG)Pt.Il, dated 26th Septembet,2008;`
(iii) In addition to the above, in the Air Force, women SSCOs will be eligible alongwith men SSCOs, for consideration for grant of permanent commission in Technical, Administration, Logistics and Meteorology Branches.
The grant of permanent commission will be subject to willingness of the candidate and service specific requirements, availability of vacancies, suitability, merit of the candidate as decided by each Service.
This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in written reply to Shri Balwinder Singh Bhunder in Rajya Sabha today. PK/NN
(Release ID :77410)
Permanent Commission to Women Officers

Officer Crisis: Amusing comments on public domain

For what the officers will fight. For the corrupt, power hungry politicians, sycophant bureaucrats and corrupt police... will they deserve to be protected.
I remember a case when the wife of a Major in Indian Army died because of electtocution in the home they were given in the army area. The child a toddler touched her poor mother & died on the spot. Such is the poor condition of homes given to our officers. Will any parent want their children to join the Armed forces? Never.

The officers join the IIM or other B-Schools, and they enmerge as Toppers. Others are welcomed by the Top companies. So there is no incentive to join Indian army. When the filthy politicians are making Lakhs of crores of rupees and sending them abroad, don’t expect the people to join army and die for them

Fully agree with you frnd. I, myself is serving officer and can vouch for this. See the condition of accn in Cariappa Vihar or any where in Delhi Cantt and I am sure that now a days in Civil a fresher from any B school will live in better accn than ours.

Here nobody listen to junior offrs (Lt to Major), for adm and welfare they are on last priority but when it come to work in peace or ops in fd than every f…. col and above want that these junior offr should go and earn bread n butter for these red collar’s one.

India’s strength, my dear Sir lies in it’s utter chaos, corruption and lack of nationalistic feeling! I ask you, has any invader been able to successfully rule India, while retaining his own identity? In a few generations, all invaders from the Greeks to the Mughals fell prey to the Great Indian Mentality….became ensnared in our corrupt, venal ways…and therefore uniquely Indian! Only the British had the sense to retreat back to their Island shores….did they succeed? No, never. For we have followed them back to their lair, and today the national dish of the UK is a bastard version of our tandoori chicken and the stiff upper lip Englishman a fast disappearing species!
So revel in India... the unconquerable, the unruly, where Might is Right and never shall Truth Prevail!
Click here to read moreThe Indian Army’s Officer Crisis

Government clarifies on women army officers’ promotion

03/11/2011
New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS) The government Wednesday told the Supreme Court that the army was considering grant of promotion to a section of women officers whose services were restored on the court's direction.

The court was hearing a petition of the defence ministry challenging a Delhi High Court directive to the army and the air force to grant permanent commission to women officers of the short service commission (SSC). The air force complied with the high court ruling.

The apex court bench of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice H.L. Gokhale, taking note of the government statement, told counsel Meenakshi Lekhi, appearing for the women army officers, to wait for some time till the government's decision.

As Lekhi raised the issue, counsel for the defence ministry R. Balasubramaniam told the court that the representation of the women officers seeking promotion was under the consideration of the army.

The court said if the government did not decide on the women officers' representation within a reasonable time, they could move the court.

Justice Lodha said the matter was being kept pending and if there was any undue delay in the decision making or if the verdict was adverse to the women officers, they could always move the apex court.

The ministry moved the apex court, challenging the initiation of contempt proceedings against the army authorities.

The apex court by its March 4 order stayed the contempt proceedings but not the judgment of the high court, directing the absorption of SSC women officers on a permanent basis.

The women officers, discharged from their service in 2009 when they were due to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, are now, upon the restoration of their service, working under the officers who were junior to them.

Balasubramaniam told the court that the high court order would be taken advantage of by other retired women officer to seek restoration of their service.

Lekhi countered by asking him to tell the court the number of women officers, other than the petitioner officers, who had sought restoration of their services in the wake of the high court verdict. ©Indo-Asian News Service
Government clarifies on women army officers’ promotion

Give all benefits to ex-short service commission officers

Give all benefits to ex-short service commission officers: Court
Pritam Pal Singh , Sep 05, 2011, 20:03 pm IST
Give all benefits to ex-short service commission officers: Court
New Delhi, In a ruling that will benefit Short Service Commission (SSC) officers in the armed forces, the Delhi High Court has said that those officers who are forced to leave before completing their tenure due to disability and poor health are eligible for all medical and insurance benefits.

The court was hearing the petition of Sagrika Singh, who joined as SSC officer in the Indian Army Feb 2, 1999, and was attached with the Army Medical Corps but was denied medical and insurance benefits on the ground that she had not completed her tenure. Her SSC stint was cut short by kidney failure.

Directing the ministry to provide all benefits to the petitioner, the court, in its 23-page order, said: “Mandamus is issued to the defence ministry to pay the sum assured to the petitioner…and needless to state the petitioner would be entitled to simple interest on the said sum (Rs.10 lakh) at the rate of eight percent per annum reckoned from a date three months after the petitioner raised a demand.”

The division bench consisting of Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Rajiv Shakdher said: “The Army Group Insurance Fund (AGIF) was established with the approval of the government. The main object of the fund is to cater to the socio-economic needs of the army personnel and their families by providing insurance cover.”

The court pointed out that the objective of the AGIF disability scheme was to provide financial benefits to individuals whose service was cut short due to invalidation or release on medical grounds before completion of the terms of engagement or service applicable to that rank.

“The terms of engagement of the petitioner required the petitioner to serve for 14 years subject to fulfilment of the prescribed eligibility conditions. The only reason which resulted in the tenure of engagement being cut short was petitioner’s failure” to be in the required medical condition, said the court in its judgment Aug 29, made available to IANS Sep 3.

The petitioner said that after she joined the service she was granted extension by another five years. She became eligible to be considered for further extension in service by another four years, but prior to expiry of the period of five years, it was detected that one kidney of the petitioner was malfunctioning.

In the year 2009 upon examination by a medical board it was opined that the petitioner had a malfunctioning kidney and thus she was placed in permanent low medical category with disability assessed at 100 percent.

Since one condition of grant of extension in service was that the person ought not to be in low medical category, the petitioner was denied extension and released from service.

The bench observed: “Enrolled in the Indian Army as a SSC officer, the initial term of her engagement was of five years and the petitioner had a right to be considered for extension in service, firstly for a term of five years and thereafter for another term of four years. Petitioner’s right was to be considered for extension in service. The army authorities were thus under an obligation to consider the said right of the petitioner.”
Give all benefits to ex-short service commission officers
Related reading: SC boost for women officers in Army

352 Cadets pass out of OTA

352 Indians, 18 Afghans pass out of OTA
September 18, 2011 By S. Sujatha DC chennai

For cadets from Afghanistan it was the psychological training that amazed them the most at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai, while Indian cadets found the physical part demanding.

“Physical training was easy for us. We came mainly to develop our mental strength and learn the functioning of Indian Army,” said Mohammad Sanjer (21) of Kabul, on Saturday after he and 17 other Afghans passed out of the academy with 352 Indians after a 11-month course.

The Indian experience has taught Sanjer, who has served in the Afghan Army for 18 months, to be strong psychologically.

After reviewing the passing out parade, Lt Gen Vijay Ahluwalia, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Command said Indian Army was open to changes as the requirements of the future battlefield would be different.
352 Indians, 18 Afghans pass out of OTA

SC directs army to reinstate 11 women officers

Saturday, 03 September 2011 01:30
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the army to reinstate 11 short service commission women officers who had been released after completion of 14 years in service.
The apex court asked the army to take the officers back from September 12 continuing their service from the date they joined.
A bench of justices J M Panchal and H L Gokhale said the order reinstating them would be subject to the outcome of the appeal filed by the army against the March 12, 2010 judgment of the Delhi high court.
The high court had earlier directed it to grant permanent commission to 11 serving women officers, who had filed a petition.
The apex court made it clear that its order is confined only to the 11 woman officers who had approached the high court and said the army would reinstate them in terms of the high court order.
It said the high court order will be in operation as it was not stayed when the army had challenged it.
The 11 officers were relieved from the service during the pendency of the petition in the high court in 2009-10.

The high court had granted the army two months to implement its judgment. The court had later issued to it notice for contempt of court after it failed to comply with the order within the requisite time limit. The operation of the contempt notice was stayed by the apex court.
During the hearing, the army opposed reinstatement of the woman officers in terms of the high court judgment, but the apex court did not agree with it and held that the high court judgment should be allowed to operate.
"There is no stay of the high court judgment. Then why don't they continue in the service. They were petitioners in the high court," the bench said during the hearing while adding the 11 woman officers were entitled to take the benefit of the high court order.
"Are they not entitled to the benefit of the high court order? There is no stay. In order to see that the high offices in military did not face any inconvenience, the contempt proceeding was stayed," the bench observed.
The court also noted that all 11 officers were on the administrative side of the army.
The officers who are going to be benefited by the apex court order are -- Major Sandhya Yadav, Major Renu Nautiyal, Major N V N Rao, Major Annapurna, Lt Col Ashu Yadav, Lt Col Sangeeta Sardana, Major Prerna Pandit, Lt Col Renu Khima, Major Seema Singh, Lt Col Monica Mishra and Major Rita Taneja.
SC directs army to reinstate 11 women officers

Comment by Capt Ravi:
Don't know about professionalism or work style of Ladies in Army, cannot comment on scandels that have surfaced around lady officers but one thing is clear. Lady Officers proved to be tougher than Short Service male Officers. Many young lives were ruined where young boys joined as SS Officers and were discouraged to apply for Permanent Commission. I am also one of those who suffered by quitting Army ( though my unit Officers never made such situations) but many others in service did so. Adding insult to injury is the fact where released Officers are denied benefits like: Membership of DSOI Delhi & many other SOIs, Many EPTAs (Golf Courses) , admissions for our Wards in AWES institutions and last but not the least Medical facility of ECHS. Come on SS Officers Learn from Lady Officers. Ladies are really on Top.
Original Post click here

OTA Gaya meandering through MoD's bureaucratic labyrinths

Year later, Gaya OTA plan yet to take off
Rajat Pandit, TNN Mar 6, 2011, 03.21am IST
NEW DELHI: Faced with a crippling shortage of officers in Army, the UPA government in its first avatar initiated the project to establish a second Officers Training Academy (OTA) at Gaya in Bihar. The Cabinet Committee on Security of UPA-II then formally approved the project with much fanfare in December 2009.

But the Gaya OTA, on the lines of the existing one in Chennai, is yet to take off. This when the 1.13-million strong Army is currently grappling with a shortage of 12,510 officers in its "sanctioned strength'' of 47,864.

The defence ministry seems to be sleeping over the new OTA project, with even the "government sanction letter'' yet to be issued for it. "The letter is needed to commence implementation of the project. For instance, the recruitment of the around 200 civilian personnel needed for the OTA cannot be done without it,'' said a source.

Similarly, the long-standing proposal to create a couple of additional Services Selection Boards (SSBs), which conduct interviews and psychological evaluation of candidates keen to join the armed forces as officers, is still meandering through MoD's bureaucratic labyrinths.

It's not as if the Gaya OTA will require major funds or infrastructure build-up. The OTA will be housed in the existing premises of Army Service Corps Centre (North), which is being moved to Bangalore.

With a proposed capacity to eventually train 750 "gentlemen cadets'' per year, the OTA will require Rs 364 crore as non-recurring expenditure and Rs 44.75 crore as annual recurring expenditure.

The Gaya OTA will initially train around 150 short-service commission (SSC) officers per year, which will supplement the 600 SSC officers who pass out of the Chennai OTA. Indian Military Academy (IMA) at Dehradun, in turn, trains around 1,000 permanent commission (PC) officers per year.

IMA gets its cadets from the tri-Service National Defence Academy at Kadakvasla, open to youngsters after class XII, as also through `direct entry' for college graduates. The OTA, in turn, is open to college graduates only.

Armed forces want to gradually move towards substantially increasing the number of SSC officers in their ranks as part of force-restructuring to maintain a youthful profile. The eventual plan is to have a 1:2 ratio for PC to SSC officers.

But while salaries have gone up after the 6th Pay Commission, the services are still finding it difficult to attract youngsters with adequate 'officer-like qualities'. The perceived high degree of risk in a service career, poor promotional avenues and frequent transfers which disrupt family life are the main factors behind this.
Year later, Gaya OTA plan yet to take off

Present Shortage
The extent of shortage of officers is around 12,349 in the Army, 1,818 in the Navy and 837 in the Air Force. The shortage of Pilots in Air Force is about 426.

Comment: Bureaucrats perception that SCPC- post 2006 Pay Scales- will attract hordes of students and graduates to OTA, NDA, IMA and other Military Training Establishments has proved otherwise and a lie. In fact the present pay scales is a dampener to the already top heavy Military (thanks to Phase-II of Ajai Vikram Singh Committee Report Implementation). Compounded to this is the gradual degrading of Rank and and Honour. Therefore, infusing the right kind of new and young blood to the Armed Forces is becoming a distant dream. The Politicians have been blinded to the reality and are misguided by sycophants in the MoD and the Military!

12 women officers get permanent commission in Army

A first: 12 women officers get permanent commission in Army by Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 30, 2010
As many as 12 women officers of the Indian Army have created a history of sorts. A selection board of the Indian Army has cleared these officers for what will be the first-ever permanent commission for women into the Forces.

This is the first ever entry of women in a permanent role into the mainstream of the Indian Army. So far, women doctors were given permanent commission (PC) in the medical corps of the armed forces. This is still out of the Army frontline fighting units, as the Ministry of Defence does not permit women in roles that “… entail direct combat or possibility of physical contact with the enemy".

The 12 women officers are from the Army Education Corps and the Judge Adjutant General - these are the only two streams that allow women to be picked up as permanent officers.

All women, cleared now, are short service commission officers (SSC) of the 1996 batch or latter. On completion of 14 years of mandatory service in SSC, they were asked to appear for a selection board along with their male counterparts and 12 of them have been picked up, the Army sources confirmed today. The selection board conducted its proceeding two weeks ago and the results have been announced now.

Most of them are Majors and Lt Colonels and would have retired from service had they not cleared the selection board. There is no reservation in the Army on the basis of gender, the women competed with their male counterparts, said sources, while adding that equal opportunity was provided.

In 2008, the Defence Minister, AK Antony, opened a few more streams for women but that was only for those who joined the SSC in March 2009 or later, meaning they would be eligible for PC only in 2019.

Women, unlike their male counterparts, do not have direct entry route into the Forces. As on date, nearly 350 male officers are inducted into the SSC each year.

Out of them, nearly 240 opt for the PC and almost all are taken in. Women were allowed in the SSC for the first time in 1992.

The latest issue is historic as this was the first time that women were given an option to choose for PC and sit in an examination for what will be full tenure. This can last up to 58 years of age depending upon the promotions each one of them gets in the future.

Notably, there are 11,500 vacancies in the Army; however, most of them are in the infantry, the artillery and the armoured units. The Army allows women to opt for the SSC (10-14 years of service) in Signals, Engineers, Ordnance and Air Defence. In the IAF women are even chopper and transport pilots.
A first: 12 women officers get permanent commission in Army

Chennai Girl from OTA becomes first woman to raise sword of honour

Divya Ajithkumar of Chennai made all women proud by being the parade commander. She is the first lady cadet to receive the "sword of Honour" from the Army chief
Chennai woman officer to get top honour at OTA
Express News Service First Published : 17 Sep 2010
CHENNAI: Chennaiite Divya Ajithkumar will receive the Sword of Honour, the first-ever woman to snaffle the laurel, awarded to the best trainee at the Officers’ Training Academy, ever since they started commissioning lady officers in 1992.

Army Chief Gen V K Singh, who will review the passing out parade of 244 cadets at the OTA in Chennai on Saturday, would decorate her with the Sword of Honour.

Divya, who also claimed three gold medals in academics at OTA, said the award would prod her to reach more milestones. 'Receiving the award from Army chief himself is an honour. It should inspire me for bigger feats,' she told Express on Thursday.

The 21-year-old felt the strenuous training at the OTA had toughened her up, mentally and physically. 'We were not exempted from any routines during the 11 months of training and treated on par with our male counterparts. The training has enabled us to take up more responsibilities in future,' she said.

The youngest daughter of Ajithkumar and Beena, the Choolaimedu resident completed her schooling from Good Shepherd Convent and BCom from Stella Maris College. An elated Ajithkumar said: 'She was always an outdoor person. She is sincere in whatever she does.' Her parents never imposed their will on her. 'She sets her goal and we encourage her to achieve it. As I was mostly away, my wife groomed her,' he said.

Apart from academics, in which she has an impressive record, she represented her school basketball team at various levels.

She was also into athletics, such as marathon and discus throw. A Taekwon-Do (she started practicing at the age of two) black belt (second Dan), she is a national-level bronze medallist.

Besides martial arts, she learnt performing arts. Divya practised Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music, apart from being an accomplished drummer.

She had represented Tamil Nadu in the Republic Day Parade 2008 and had the rare double honour of being awarded both the All India Best Cadet and All India Best Parade Commander for leading the parade of NCC cadets. She got a commendation from the then Chief of Army Staff.
Chennai Woman Officer to get top honour at OTA
Slideshow: Passing out Parade OTA- Signs of Change

Tendulkar can’t make the uniform aspirational

Anshul Chaturvedi, Times of India 07 September 2010, 06:30 PM IST
Sachin Tendulkar being conferred an honorary IAF rank, one must assume, is at its core, an effort to gain greater visibility and aspirational status for the Air Force among the country’s youth. The IAF as such can surely have no agenda to promote or reward cricketing legends – God knows there is no deficit of agencies keen to felicitate Sachin – and the reality, unfortunate or otherwise, is that it needs the positive rub-off of an idol sporting an IAF uniform more than the cricketing maestro needs any recognition from the uniformed services.

The fact that all the three services in the Indian armed forces are facing a shortage of officers for several years is no breaking news. Now, we are hardly a nation facing a numerical deficiency of young men – and women, since the uniform is hardly an exclusively male domain any more – but we never seem to have enough good enough ones in this context. There are many professional domains where the demand of people good enough to get in far exceeds the supply of available slots, but the defence services are not quite there. Have not been quite there, for quite a while, actually....

And it is the adding together of all such perceptions that makes us resort to having to find a star batsman – with absolutely no offence to Sachin’s stature – to pitch the IAF’s profile. Because, frankly, as a country, we don’t really value the fundamentals that make a job that’s about defending or policing the country, quite worth it. We will come out on the streets during Kargil, applaud the NSG during 26/11, and tsk-tsk when we read that 76 CRPF men are slaughtered – but that’s about it.
Mr 210-crores-in-three-years Dhoni required to pitch for the Army now, anyone?
Read the full article:
Even Tendulkar can’t make the uniform aspirational

Comment by sharan: September 08,2010 at 08:27 AM IST
Anshul, you are writing about symptoms, not the real problems here. The real problems are that as a race of people we are weak in mind, body and character, and we always choose to do what is convenient for ourselves rather than what is right.
The symptoms of this attitude show themselves in different ways, depending on where we are. As leaders and politicians, we resort to large-scale looting without contributing anything useful. As policemen we take sides with criminals and harass the innocent, in exchange for "supari". As soldiers, we cringe before our superior officers like cowards, but in the presence of unarmed civilians we turn into bullies. As Class 4 workers we hold the country to ransom, expecting more and more for doing less and less. It doesn't matter where we are; we will find a way to sabotage the system. What we need is to find a way to strengthen ourselves mentally and acquire the right character as humans.

Woman Officers: Bullet knows no gender

Armed forces need to accept the fact that more women officers will join their ranks and gender equality will occupy the centre stage. This requires attitudinal change in the predominantly male environ. A new set of directives and ground rules need to be worked out for women officers to pursue a credible career.
Bullet knows no gender
Lt Gen (Dr) S.B.S. Kochar (Retd)

Dawn of the new millennium has ushered in fresh hopes and challenges. The established order, where women took a back seat is in the process of imminent fade-out. Many exclusive male bastions and preserves are now extinct. Women have emerged as powerful portents of a new social order and are set to match men, stride for stride. Armed Forces are no exception.

No doubt the demands on national security and military cannot be swayed by attitudes and assumptions. All specialties should be open on a gender neutral standard to those who are qualified, capable and competent to undertake them. Major issues confronted by militaries the world over in so far as employment of women concerned, are social, behavioral and psychological. This is not to say that they must not be trained in the art of soldiering — they must

The strength of women officers in the army is just over a thousand (excluding medical stream) The present policy is to them grant short service commission for five years extendable to 14 years with identical benefits as available to similarly placed male officers. Permanent commission has been granted to women in Judge Advocate General’s Department and Army Education Corps. They are not assigned to the combat Arms. The strength of women officers in the air force who have served so far is 570 and in the navy, 250.
Bullet knows no gender by Lt Gen (Dr) S.B.S. Kochar (Retd)
The writer is a former Commandant of the National Defence Academy

High time army sheds retrograde outlook
Why not a permanent commission? This is the question that arises in the mind of each woman soldier, which is very much her right at par with gentleman officers who are granted permanent commission. When Article 14 of the Constitution guarantees right to equality, then why and how this gender bias set in, that too in one of the nation’s most robust system, the Indian Army? Click link below to read more...
High time army sheds retrograde outlook by Maj Seema Dagar- The writer served with the Army from 1997—2007 and is Manager, Delhi International Airport Ltd.

Shortage of officers impacts Military

The armed forces are short of 14,244 officers, as stated by Defence Minister A.K. Antony in Parliament. As the security environment throws up huge challenges, manpower issues continue to plague the armed forces, especially the officer cadre and some technical trades. The need to attract talent to maintain the forces’ cutting edge cannot be over-emphasised.
Inadequate numbers blunt the cutting edge
Brig Santokh Singh (Retd)

Shortage of officers in the armed forces, particularly the army, which besides fighting six wars (including Sri Lanka) after the Partition, has been constantly involved in internal security duties is a matter of serious concern.

Compared to other government establishments and the private sector, service conditions of the armed forces, which continue to receive step motherly treatment, are a lot more strict and difficult. Even the Supreme Court has opined that the government treats them as beggars. No wonder, therefore, that the well informed youth of today are not attracted to donning the military uniform, the prestige and love for it having considerably waned. A number of academies that came up in the 50s and 60s to train aspirants for getting a commission in the forces, have closed shop for this reason.

Against authorisation of 23 officers, infantry units, for example, are having a posted strength of only 10 officers. Considering officers on courses, leave or temporary duty, those actually present in a unit at any one time are just five of six. This adversely affects administrative and training commitments. The situation gets accentuated for units deployed in operational areas like J&K.

The armed forces are short of 14,244 officers, as stated by Defence Minister A.K. Antony in Parliament. As the security environment throws up huge challenges, manpower issues continue to plague the armed forces, especially the officer cadre and some technical trades. The need to attract talent to maintain the forces’ cutting edge cannot be over-emphasised.
Inadequate numbers blunt the cutting edge
Brig Santokh Singh (Retd)

Shortage of officers in the armed forces, particularly the army, which besides fighting six wars (including Sri Lanka) after the Partition, has been constantly involved in internal security duties is a matter of serious concern.

Compared to other government establishments and the private sector, service conditions of the armed forces, which continue to receive step motherly treatment, are a lot more strict and difficult. Even the Supreme Court has opined that the government treats them as beggars. No wonder, therefore, that the well informed youth of today are not attracted to donning the military uniform, the prestige and love for it having considerably waned. A number of academies that came up in the 50s and 60s to train aspirants for getting a commission in the forces, have closed shop for this reason.

Against authorisation of 23 officers, infantry units, for example, are having a posted strength of only 10 officers. Considering officers on courses, leave or temporary duty, those actually present in a unit at any one time are just five of six. This adversely affects administrative and training commitments. The situation gets accentuated for units deployed in operational areas like J&K.
Inadequate numbers blunt the cutting edge: The Tribune
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Women officers to get permanent commission in non combat arms

Serving women army officers won their first round of legal battle with the Government on Monday assuring the Supreme Court that it will consider giving them permanent commission in legal and educational branches.

However, these officers demanding permanent commission in combat, infantry and other wings of the army will have to wait for a longer period to get this recognition.

Seven years after the protracted legal battle, Government, which was at the receiving end in the apex court, gave an undertaking that women serving officers of Short Service Commission will be considered for permanent commission in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) and educational branches of army.

The undertaking in this regard, which stated that the exercise will be completed within two months, was submitted by Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium before a Bench comprising Justices J M Panchal and Gyan Sudha Mishra.

The Bench recorded the undertaking which said, "The Solicitor General on instruction states that women short service commission officers in service shall be considered for permanent commission in JAG and educational branch of Army."

The court also recorded the undertaking that the case of Major Lina Gurung, a short service commission officer, who is retiring in August will be considered on priority subject to the requirements.

After the SG gave the undertaking, the Bench stayed contempt proceedings against army till further orders for not complying with the Delhi High Court directions to grant permanent commission to women serving in the armed forces.

"In view of the statements made at Bar by the Solicitor General, the contempt proceeding is stayed till further order," the Bench said.

In all there are 2,200 women officers including 1,200 in army, 750 in air force and 250 in navy, according to Defence Ministry figures.

The Bench asked the government to file an additional affidavit elaborating the nature of duty assigned to the officers getting permanent commission.

The court said after receiving the details from the Army, it will further examine the issue of permanent commission for women Army officers.

Currently, women are inducted in the Army as officers under Short Service Commission for a maximum period of 14 years whereas their male counterparts are eligible to receive permanent commission after five years.

The Bench wanted to know whether so far no lady officer had ever been sent to the battlefield.

The SG said that there has not been any such case since "the appointment in infantry leads to the battlefield".

While concluding the hearing, the court asked the Army to show from the records that the male officers who are given permanent commission after the SSC are sent for battle training.

The apex court had on 26th July asked the Army to produce before it the government notification which debars women officers from getting permanent commission in the armed forces.

The Army had moved the apex court challenging the Delhi High Court judgement directing the armed forces to grant permanent commission to women serving in the armed forces.

Sixty serving and retired women officers from Army and Air Force had moved the High Court which had said they should be treated equally with male officers.(SS-02/08)
Women officers to get permanent commission in non-combat arms

Double Speak: Open to Permanent Commission for Women in Army

Govt Open to Permanent Commission for Women in Army
New Delhi | Jul 07, 2010
Even as the Army challenged a Delhi High Court verdict on permanent commission to women defence officers in the Supreme Court, Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju today struck a different note, saying his ministry was in favour of opening up more streams of armed forces for their permanent commission.

The government was "very happy" with the court verdict on providing permanent commission to women, Raju told reporters here on the sidelines of a CII seminar.

"This is also the wish of the (defence) ministry. We want to give permanent commission to women in all three services," he said.

Noting that at successive conferences of defence commanders more and more streams were being opened up for induction of women, Raju said the decision was being looked at by the Chiefs of Staff Committee.

"We will be opening it (armed forces) up more and more for them (women)," he added.

However, he said the armed forces' view was that the women officers should be kept away from combat role.

"In the spirit of things, the views of the armed forces has been to not to put women in situations where there is potential harm to them," he said.

Raju's views come a day after the Defence Ministry filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against a Delhi High Court verdict of March 12 ordering the Army to accord permanent commission to its women officers.

Though the Delhi HC order was for a batch of petitions from both Army and Air Force officers, the review plea in the apex court was only with regard to the women army officers, as the Air Force had already adhered to the court order and offered permanent commission to the 22 women officers who had won the case.

However, the women army officers, who had got a favourable court order on permanent commission, had a couple of days ago filed a contempt plea in the Delhi HC against Army Chief General V K Singh, Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar and the Army's Adjutant General for not complying with its March 12 order.

The HC had issued a notice of contempt to the three Defence Ministry officials following which the review plea was filed before the apex court.
Govt Open to Permanent Commission for Women in Army
Blog Post
HC issues contempt notice to Army chief on commission issue

HC issues contempt notice to Army chief on commission issue

Press Trust Of India New Delhi, July 05, 2010
The Delhi High Court today issued contempt notice to the Army chief after the force failed to comply with its previous order directing grant of permanent commission to serving women officers, who were selected on short service commission basis.

Justice G S Sistani also sought response from the Secretary, Defence Ministry, by August 18 on a petition filed by Lt Colonel Sangita Sardana and other serving women officers of the Indian Army alleging that the force failed to grant Permanent Commission to them.

The court had in May also stayed Army's decision to release the next batch of women officers.

Appearing before the court, counsel for officers Rekha Palli argued that contempt of court proceedings be initiated against the respondent (Army) for "willful disobedience" of the judgement.

She further contended that "the Indian Air force has complied with the High Court directions and implemented the same last month whereas, the Army failed to make its stand clear and has taken a decision to release some officers belonging to the next batch despite court's order staying the same."

The High Court had on March 12 directed the government to allow grant of permanent commission to women officers serving in the defence services on the petitions filed by more than 60 serving and retired lady officers.

"There were also male officers performing the same task. If the male officers can be granted permanent commission while performing those tasks, there is no reason why equally capable women officers cannot be granted permanent commission. It is not a charity being sought by the women officers but enforcement of their own Constitutional rights," the court had said.

It had also turned down the plea of the government that permanent commission can be allowed only for future recruitment and the benefit cannot be given retrospectively for the serving and retired lady officers who had approached the court.

"These women officers have served the Armed Forces of the country well in the areas of operation they were recruited for and have worked in this capacity for 14 to 15 years. They deserve better from the respondents (government)," the court had said.
HC issues contempt notice to Army chief on commission issue: Hindustan Times
Contempt notice to Army chief on permanent commission for women: Deccan Herald
Present Status
Currently, 5,137 women officers serve in the armed forces. They include 4,101 in the Indian Army, 784 in IAF, and 252 in Indian Navy. This includes women granted permanent commissions in the Army Medical Corps, the Army Dental Corps and their equivalents in the other two services as also in the Military Nursing Service.

In the army, women serve in support arms like the Corps of Signals, Army Ordnance Corps, the Corps of Electronic and Mechanical Engineers and the Army Service Corps.

In the IAF, women are inducted in all streams barring the fighter stream. In the Indian Navy there are restrictions on posting women officers aboard ships and submarines.
Permanent commissions for women: Notice issued to Indian Army chief
MoD delaying tactics
The defence ministry and Army are likely to approach the Supreme Court to review the high court judgment because it's felt granting Permanent Commission to women officers will lead to "practical and operational problems". Permanent Commission for women officers in the armed forces, following a government decision in 2008, is restricted as of now to wings like education and law, which do not involve command of men or units.
Army chief gets HC notice over parity to women: The Telegraph

MOD Clarifies
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Certain reports have appeared in the media that the Hon’ble Delhi High Court has issued a contempt of Court against the Chief of Army Staff and Defence Secretary, on the Delhi High Court Order, in respect of Granting Permanent Commission to Women Officers. It is clarified that “the Delhi High Court has sent only a notice on the plea of women officers, to the Army Headquarters to explain its position on the directions given by the Delhi High Court in this regard”.

In this matter, meanwhile, Ministry of Defence has filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court.
Permanent Commission to Women Officers: SLP slapped
Women in Army: Govt takes battle to Supreme Court