NDA: Declining Contribution of Sainik Schools

Sainik schools decline in discipline and contribution to forces
The Tribune Chandigarh, September 30, 2012 by Vijay Mohan.
Set up to serve as feeder institutes to the National Defence Academy (NDA), Sainik Schools are now under the scanner for more than one reason. A general decline in the percentage of its students joining the NDA, increasing dropout rate and a sudden spurt in disciplinary and ragging cases are among the issues that have brought these institutes into focus.
The contribution of Sainik Schools towards the intake into the NDA has gone down from 30.75 per cent in 2008 to 25.18 per cent in 2011. According to figures listed in the report of the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence released last month, these figures were 29.23 per cent in 2009 and 26.17 per cent in 2010.
While there has been a consistent improvement in the schools’ academic performance, a comparative analysis also revealed that on an average, only about 20 per cent of Sainik School students join the NDA whereas in the case of the Rashtriya Indian Military College – which has a similar charter to that of Sainik Schools – the figure was 76 per cent.
One reason for the low intake from Sainik Schools put forward by the Defence Ministry is that students leave the school after their class XII examinations. As they are not under the supervision of the schools, they could have less inclination to write the NDA entrance exam or to appear for the selection interview. Candidates need to pass class XII to join the NDA.
Conceived in 1961 and managed by the Sainik Schools Society, whose board of governors is chaired by the Minister of Defence, the objective of Sainik Schools is to motivate and prepare students to join the armed forces as officers by focusing on moulding and developing their overall personality.
There are 24 Sainik Schools located in 21 states across the country and they are funded jointly by the central and respective state governments. Funding is another issue plaguing these schools with many state governments failing to give due budgetary support.
The dropout rate of students in these schools – having a strength of over 12,000 – has also been fluctuating, moving from 885 in 2008-09 to 843 in 2009-10 and 1,009 in 2010-11. The biggest chunk of dropouts is due to parental requests, which has witnessed a consistent increase, with the figures being 544, 564 and 689 for the aforementioned three sessions.
More significantly, the number of dropouts on grounds of indiscipline saw a spurt from seven and six cases to 60 cases for these sessions. In the past three years, 13 students were expelled and 15 were suspended for ragging. -via The Tribune
Sainik schools decline in discipline and contribution to forces

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

Indian Air Force ahead with over 10 percent women officers

New Delhi, Aug 22, 2012, (IANS)
Women officers in the Indian army, navy and air force constitute only 3.3, 3.9 and 10.4 percent of the officer cadre respectively and these figures were achieved within 20 years from when they were first recruited, parliament was informed Wednesday.
Defence Minister A.K. Antony said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha that the representation of women in the armed forces has been progressively increasing since their first recruitment in 1992-93.
"At present, the percentage of women officers in army, navy and air force, excluding medical streams, is 3.3 percent, 3.9 per cent and 10.04 percent respectively," Antony said.
"The representation of women officers in the armed forces has increased progressively over the years," the minister added.
To another query on the same subject, the minister said the number of women officers in the army is 1,214, in the navy 302 and the air force 1,079.
At present, the existing strength of the army is 36,788 officers, the navy 7,744 and the air force 10,747. There is a shortfall of 13,000 officers across the three services.
These figures are excluding the medical stream women officers.
Women officers are inducted in the branches open to them within the overall authorised strength of officers' cadre of respective service, based on merit on an all- India basis.
"There is no separate fixed sanctioned strength for women officers in the armed forces," he added.
Noting that a fresh policy on induction of women officers was laid down last November, Antony said it was issued after considering the paper submitted by a high-level tri-service committee with the approval of the chiefs of staff committee.
"There is an endeavour to fill up the vacancies of officers from amongst eligible candidates, which is a continuous and an ongoing process," Antony said.
Barring the medical stream, women officers are inducted on short service commissions in certain branches of the three armed forces.
In the army, women officers are recruited in the Signals, Engineers, Army Aviation, Army Air Defence, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps, Intelligence Corps, Army Education Corps and Judge Advocate General branches.
In the navy, they are inducted into the Judge Advocate General, Logistics, Observer, Air Traffic Controller, Naval Constructor and Education branches.
In the air force, though, women officers are recruited in all branches and streams, except the fighter stream of the flying branch.
Indian Air Force ahead with over 10 percent women officers

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.
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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

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

Army Nurses Rank, Status and Honour Degraded?

Army nurses not at par with officers’ by Vijay Mohan/ TNS
Chandigarh, May 12, 2011
Holding that the Military Nursing Service (MNS) is an auxiliary force, the Armed Forces Tribunal has ruled that MNS officers cannot be granted parity with Army officers.

Disposing of a bunch of petitions filed by MNS officers seeking a higher pay-band and associated benefits at par with Army officers of equivalent rank, the Tribunal observed that the recruitment process and nature of duties of the MNS and Army officers is different and simply because the MNS officers are being granted ranks and perks admissible to combatant soldiers and officers, the position of MNS officers cannot be elevated to that of regular troops.

The MNS officers contended that making a distinction on the basis of being a combat and non-combat force and thereby placing them in a lower pay-band was discriminatory. They also contended that some other branches like education, postal and JAG were also non-combatant, but were granted higher scales. Observing that it was clear from the Army ordinance that the MNS was an auxiliary force and not the main combat force, the Tribunal ruled that the difference between the two is right from the induction into service and this distinction has been kept in view by the government while fixing their pay-band.

Ruling that it was a “total misnomer” to say that the nursing staff are same in status as the regular combat force, the Tribunal also observed that there would be functional and command difficulties in hospitals. Nurses have to work under the directions of doctors and have to follow their command. Directions given by doctors to persons of the same rank and status may cause difficulty in functioning.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110513/nation.htm#8
Army nurses not at par with officers’
Vijay Mohan/ TNS
Related reading
New Delhi, May 12, 2011
The government is planning to recruit 20,000 more armed women personnel in paramilitary forces in the next three years. According to the new plan formulated by the Home Ministry, all paramilitary forces, the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB and the NSG, will essentially have 5 per cent of their total force strength as women personnel in three to five years and 10 per cent in the subsequent five years. These women will be hired and deployed for general guard duties, patrolling, frisking suspects and other normal policing activities undertaken by their male counterparts. The government also plans to enhance the facilities being offered to women security personnel
Plan to recruit 20,000 women in paramilitary

Defence Secretary A.V. Singh, who chaired the committee which submitted its report in March 2003 said, "The cumulative effect of its implementation will be, we hope, a younger force".
What we have in reality is a top heavy bloated ageing Army Command Chain enhancing and encouraging Corruption and diluting decision making- Ideal for a Defensive Military. Thanks to AV Singh's Vision!
Degradation of Rank and Honour- In footsteps of AV Singh Committee
A military nurse holds rank in his or her respective service the same as other officers. A brand new nurse is commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Military Nursing Service corps they are commissioned in. They work up through the ranks by completing career milestones and through a competitive process called a promotion board. Nurses have a long and remarkable history of serving and aiding the military from the Wars of early history to modern day conflicts. Nurses have served bravely and with great personal sacrifice in and out of uniform. Nursing has contributed to significant strides in improving medical care in the military and in civilian practice. Nurses participate in research, advanced medical care, and technology. But, the thing nurses are best known for is their caring compassionate expertise in treating sick and wounded military personnel.

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

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.

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

Army wants more short service officers

-by Ritu Sharma 27 January 2010
"The army has submitted the proposal to increase the intake of short service commissioned officers by making it more lucrative. The proposal is lying with the defence ministry," a senior armed forces official told IANS, requesting anonymity. Currently, people who are not certain about committing to permanent positions in the army join under SSC and serve the army for five years. At the end of the period the officer is allowed to either opt for permanent commission, choose another five years of service or retire. In contrast, an officer under permanent commission has to serve for 20 years. The SSC acts as the support cadre to the regular cadre, which is twice its strength. The proposal seeks to reverse the proportion. "According to an internal report the shortfall of 11,000 army officers would be bridged in 20 years. The proposal is to take two short service officers for every permanently commissioned officer. This will help make up the shortfall in due course without affecting the promotion aspects caused by the pyramidal structure of the army. "In short the proposal is to increase the proportion of short service commissioned officers from the current one-third," the officer told IANS.

The army's sanctioned strength is 46,615 officers, but it has been facing a shortage of 11,238. For the world's fourth largest army middle-rung officers leaving for better-paying corporate sector jobs has been a constant problem.

The problem has been aggravated because the army is unable to get enough numbers to join its officer rank. The defence forces need 2,100 officers every year.

The army is now opening a second Officers Training Academy (OTA) at Gaya in Bihar. Set to house 500 cadets, the academy is scheduled to start functioning by the middle of the year.

However, in the existent OTA at Chennai the cadet intake has come down from 407 in 2008 to 315 in 2009, against an authorised strength of 700.

"The army has sought to make SSC more lucrative by increasing the number of serving years from five to 10. Another proposal is to give them a two-year study leave at the end of their service to help them find a better second career option," said the officer.

Now, the army is hoping the financial crisis in the corporate sector and the Sixth Pay Commission -- which has increased their salaries -- will help bring in many more officers to the armed forces.
Army wants more short service officers -by Ritu Sharma

Degradation of MNS Officers muted by Armed Forces Tribunal

MNS Officers entitled to service privileges of regular officers : AFT
In a well reasoned decision, the Hon’ble Principal Bench of the AFT has held that MNS officers are also commissioned officers and are authorised to the privileges of their respective ranks.

The decision comes in the backdrop of the refusal of authorities to allow a Major General of the MNS from sporting stars and flying a flag on her official car.

The order has settled the controversy once and for all, but the issue makes one wonder as to why were stars and flags refused to such officers in the first place ? When an officer is holding a particular military rank, then it makes no sense to deny the ceremonial ancillaries of the same. It is the rank that is entitled to such privileges and not the service or the person who is wearing that uniform. When there is no bar on sporting the ‘stars’ on the collars, then in my humble opinion there should be no reason as to why a bar should exist on sporting the same very stars on the car !.
Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh

Self Inflicted Injury
How the Armed Forces degrades itself is evident from the AHQ, COAS letter to Defence Secretary who is responsible for CoS and Anomaly Committee being convoluted and negated! Click link below.
Degrade Basic Pay, Grade Pay and Status of Nurses in Armed Forces

Some suggested measures to redeem the damage inflicted on the MNS Cadre:

Add a web page for the Military Nursing Service under the arms/ services in the official web site.

Re-commence the Officers training at AMC Centre and School for the Newly Commissioned Officers of the Military Nursing Service.

Re-commence the arms training to Nursing Officers (stopped in the early Nineties). To fulfill the Articles of the Geneva Convention MNS are required to be trained in arms/ weapon handling. Incidentally, the Army still has Golding Medal for Shooting championship for the Nursing Officers from the British era.

Bring the Military Nursing Service fully under the Army Act (remove the auxiliary force tag).

We are talking about allowing women in all arms and services of the Army. However still we do not allow eligible men to become Commissioned Nursing Officers! Therefore, remove the restriction on men to join the Nursing Services as Commissioned Officers.

Women Officers: Pros and cons

Ref:
1. Women Officers: Facts and Fiction
2. Women Officers: More Facts

I agree with Major Archana Lokeshwar.
I did read the article by Maj Gen Mrinal Suman and gave it the treatment it deserved... EDITED ... .
I have had the privilege of having commanded two frontline airbases. Both had lady officers in all branches of officer cadre.I also had lady officers serving in various capacities at Air Force Academy and Air Force Station, Bidar.
No lady officer ever flinched from any duty given to her. In fact, I as the AOC would try to be protective but the gutsy young ladies would say "Sir, Dont treat us differently. We will do all that the male officers do in the line of duty (including night duties)". And to their credit they did perform their duties diligently with utmost care and attention to details.
Of course there were a few black sheep, but then there are more such examples from the male bastion. It would be incorrect to say that lady officers are a burden. In most cases they are an asset just like in the case of male officers.
To have an opinion based on a couple of indifferent episodes would be very unfair. I had a few male officers who ought to have retired as cadets, but then based on those experiences I cant write off the entire male officer cadre.
Best Wishes n Regards,
Brig Ashok D Chhibbar (Retd)

Bipin Trivedi
My dear General Suman and Major Archana,
While I've neither the academic credentials of the general nor the gender qualification of the major, having worked with lady officers as Adjt MCTE, 2IC 15 Corps Engg Sig Regt, CO WCSR and CO 2TTR, I presume to be adequately, albeit barely, qualified to comment on the desirability or otherwise of lady officers in the defence services.
The right question, to my mind, is not "Should we have lady officers in the defence services?" but "What segments of the population ought to be recruited in the defence forces of a democracy?"

The armed forces of a democracy, like all other institutions of the state, must recruit from all segments of the society. They must recruit form all segments of society to be national, to obtain a buy in form every segment of the population, a dire necessity in the time of total war. It is for this reason that the army recruits uniformly from all over the country even though the army is deployed primarily in the North. To cite an extreme example, the army recruits from Andaman & Nicobar despite the fact that a soldier who travels to Andaman & Nicobar on annual leave ends up spending an inordinately long time traveling.
Women form an increasingly important constituency in this nation as is evident from their growing role in the workplace. They must accordingly be accommodated in the defence services. It is for the services to work out the modalities of recruitment, training, employment and discharge. I refuse to believe that women can't make a
positive contribution to the defence services or that the defence services are too rigid to accommodate women amongst their ranks. My own limited experience suggests that lady officers merge into the team and take on their share of the load. I think we ought to be looking for ways to increase the participation of women in the defence services rather than questioning the limited representation that we have.
Col Bipin Trivedi (Retd)

Ramachandran Mahesh
Sent: 30 March 2010 12:19
I entirely agree with the contents of Gen Suman's article. When facts are stated as they should indeed be, it does sound politically incorrect. I have served in and commanded units posted with lady officers. No one can complain on their capabilities in certain roles . It is in combat roles that the problem arises . A few points:
Need to remember that there is a huge difference between equality and similarity. While no one argues against equality, can there ever be similarity between the two sexes. If that was the case, you and i would be pregnant - sorry to sound crude. Just by putting on pants, aunty does not become uncle.
A British medical study has said that menstruating females have huge problems in high G air manoueveres. Flying a passenger aircraft from Delhi to Mumbai is one thing - manoevering Su 30s or F 18s in the face of enemy fire is quite another.
When it comes to their own security even the offices of National Council For women have male security personnel. By the way has anyone seen female security in any residential societies or banks or even ATMs ? With this confidence level, we want to trust them with our national security !! Even offices of NDTV (Barkha) and CNN/IBN (Sagarika) have predominantly male security with one odd female for frisking duties.
Our VVIPs and celebrities including the likes of Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, sushma Swaraj have only male body guards/ security - why?
People quote American and allied Armies where women are in combat roles. This is a huge fallacy, since out of the 1800 odd persons killed in combat in Iraq and Afganisthan, not a single person was a female.(As already brought out by Gen Suman)
For decades there have been separate set of rules for men and woman even in sports - including golf and these are for very good reasons.
Ask any male YO and he will tell you that his female counterpart gets awards and citations for doing a fraction of the work done by her male colleagues.
Ask our MS branch guys about the number of requests they have for spouse postings from these so called "Equally capable for combat" ladies .
When we moved for OP Parakram in Dec 2001, we had to recall a lot of our guys on leave as per the SOP by sending telegrams. Can someone tell me how to recall people from maternity leave ?!!
These are not teething problems. For the last 17 years, barring a few exceptions, lady officers have not done themselves proud even in non combat roles. If not nipped in the bud right now, national security will take a huge beating.
Col (Retd) R Mahesh

ASP Vinod ASP
Sent: 30 March 2010 12:52
Dear Major Archana Lokeshwar,
1. Thank you for having the courage to highlight some very twisted ideas many men have concerning women. More so, it is regrettable that some of these persons with stunted thinking are in the Army posing to speak for all the Officers of this fair organisation.
2. One must continue to strive for equality and justice, no matter who or what the opposition may be. I am completely with and support all women who fight for their right due in society and in life.
3. All of us have been made equal in the eyes of the Maker. It is only persons with small minds, misogynists and those who have no faith n their own abilities that drum up fanciful visions of their own making and pass them of as “facts”.
4. I happen to be a fourth generation officer in the Army, my son hopes to make it a fifth generation; so I do have some background when I say that there are a large No. of fair-minded Officers in the Army. It was their open-minded approach that got ladies into the Army in the first place. Those right-thinking individuals are still there. We will ensure that our daughters and our lady officers get an even-handed deal.
5. Change in our Indian mind-set has to begin outside the Forces, within our families to accept the girl child, women and ladies as equals. More power to this change.
Yours sincerely
Col ASP Vinod

Women Officers: More facts delineated- an apt rebuttal

Reference: Women in the Armed Forces: Fiction and Facts: click here to read the article

Dear General Mrinal Suman, AVSM, VSM, PhD,
Good Morning,
It was a pleasure reading the article written by you. More so is that you also publicizing the article by circulating the same through E-mails. Please accept my congratulations to you for your writing skills. You did spend sometime other then your regular jobs to get it completed and published.

I would have felt proud ( which unfortunately I am not after reading your point of view), if only you would have mentioned constructive points and measures to be taken then to abandon the whole idea of keeping women in Defence forces.

What you have written is already known to everyone since they are born to a lady only and they know what differences are there between a male and female.

I am so sorry to take a major offence to your certain points where you have felt sorry, mentioning only few here,

1. That how many women fail in physical standards.
You must mean that no man fail in physical standard tests.
2. Women ask for compassionate postings.
You must not be aware of number of men who have taken compassionate postings and are enjoying peace tenures for many years all together.
3. Women become pregnant (It’s a news to all of us) after joining Army and they put more burden on military hospitals.
Only lady officers get pregnant and no officer’s wife get pregnant. Great to know this. Such an experience of delivering a child itself is so strenuous and after that also they manage their home along with office without complaint.
4. I have much more to say but refraining myself to write an article in reply of an article.
5. Your article only got published because this is a male dominated society else it would have been thrown in trash for posing your own thoughts as the correct facts and figures. (I am very sorry for being honest with you.)
6. You should have spoken to right people who commanded the lady officers, for then only you would have got correct picture. Lady officers do perform many duties which you feel they don’t including night duty officers.
7. God has created Men and women with many biological, physical and mental differences. A women has mental strength more than any men on this earth to with stand pressure and then also performing multitasking.

Please read your own article again and think again whether you have conveyed your point or degraded the whole lady officers lot by posing them as burden on Indian Army. If we have some restraints then we must look for ways to solve them and we must not run away from the challenges of problems and also should not even recommend stopping the current commissioning. Your article is only to please male counterparts and discourage females from joining army. Its better to look at positives first and then negatives and find a solution.

May god bless you.
Our country is truly blessed with many people encouraging you and giving you a pat at your back.
With warm regards
Major Archana Lokeshwar (Ex Indian Army)

Comments
I totally agree with Maj Archna Lokeshwar.
The article by Gen Sen (Mrinal Suman) was an insult to humanity as a whole. The deep-rooted bias is evident, and has to change. While deployment in combat oriented roles remains a controversial issue all over the world, better accept the fact that women are here to stay for good, and they are doing a good job at that. The supposed comment ascribed to a JCO regarding overburdening of maternity wards makes me want to hang my head in shame, and coming from a retired General of the Sappers!!?!!
These are teething troubles and let us help every stakeholder in making a smoother transition rather than cribbing on the basis of ingrained prejudice.
Maj Navdeep Singh
Advocate High Court

Women officers in armed forces win historic battle

Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 12:51
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday ordered the grant of permanent commission in the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) to over 50 women officers who had accused the government of discrimination vis-a-vis their male counterparts.

A division bench of Justices S K Kaul and M P Garg also ordered the reinstatement of all short service commission women officers who retired and approached the court seeking permanent commission in the forces.

The court, in its 32-page order, directed the government to reinstate those officers who retired while the case was being heard.

Short service commission officers serve for a maximum of 14 years while male officers granted permanent commission can be in the forces up to the age of 60, depending on the rank they rise to.

An elated Rekha Pali, counsel for the women officers, cried: "It's a big victory for all of us!"

Women officers hailed the decision.

Wing Commander Rekha Aggrawal, who served in the IAF from 1995 to 2009, said: "I am very glad now. I will again join the office. I want to serve my nation."

"Our three-year-long battle has finally become fruitful. The court has finally understood the disparity that women officers in the army face," Major Seema Singh added.

Major Singh praised the passage of the women's reservation bill in the Rajya Sabha and said that Friday's judgement "will also boost the morale of women".

Women are currently eligible for permanent commission only in the medical, nursing and dental services of the armed forces. They are eligible for short service commission in the services as in support arms of the armed forces.

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 commission in the Army Medical Corps, the Army Dental Corps and their equivalents in the other two services as also in the Military Nursing Services.

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

In the Indian Air Force, 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.

Most militaries worldwide induct women but only a few allow them to perform active combat roles. Among these countries are Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway and Switzerland.

Countries like Britain and Israel allow women to serve in combat arms positions like artillery roles but exclude them from infantry units. The US allows women in most combat flying positions.
Women officers in armed forces win historic battle

Women Army officers await big verdict

NDTV Correspondent, Friday March 12, 2010, New Delhi


The Delhi High Court is expected to rule today on whether women officers in the armed forces can have permanent service on par with male officers.

More than 20 women Army officers, current and former, are fighting a tough battle in the Delhi High Court. They want the terms of employment for women in the Army to be revised.

Currently women officers have to retire after 14 years in service, irrespective of their record.

In addition to being subjected to rules that don't apply to male officers, this means women officers are not eligible for pension and other benefits.

"Corporates don't value Army experience much. To top it all, there's recession in the market. Where do we go from here? It's such a bleak future," says Major Sandhya Yadav.

Major Sandhya Yadav did not have a choice. She retired in March last year. As a woman, she was entitled to just 14 years in service.

Women were first allowed into the Army in 1992. In 2005, the Army explained its policy of limiting the service for women to 14 years. In an affidavit filed in the High Court, the Army said: "The background of our troops who hail from rural areas with fixed concepts of women had to be considered at the time of induction of women as officers into the Army. Grant of Permanent Commission would result in placing women officers as Commanding Officers of units, which was considered inappropriate."

In September last year, the government did revise the rules to give women the same tenure as men. But this applies only to new recruits and not to women already in service.

"If principally we've agreed that they're fit to be taken into certain corps and services and that they will perform adequately, I see no reason why they can't continue to perform for a longer period," says Retd Lt Gen G L Bakshi.

The Army says the final call will have to be taken by the government.

"There could be various ramifications which the government has to consider - the financial implications, seniority in the Army, the effect on the male counterparts who have gone through a lot of other drills to get permanent commission which these women have not," says Army counsel Dalip Mehra.

The Delhi High Court's order is keenly awaited as it could determine the fate of hundreds of women officers in the armed forces. For them, it's not about personal gains. It's about equality.
Women Army officers await big verdict