Permanent commission will be granted to women officers inducted in branches such as signals, engineers, army aviation, army air defence, electronics and mechanical engineers, army service corps, army ordinance corps and intelligence. "SSC women officers will give their option for PC before completion of four years of commissioned service and they will exercise an option for grant of PC and their choice of specialisation," said the Ministry of Defence's statement.
“SSC Women officers will be considered for grant of permanent commission based on suitability, merit and will be employed in various staff appointment,” the statement added. The move comes as a massive boost to women officers as it will give them an opportunity to serve for a longer duration across all 10 branches of the Indian Army.
A similar decision to give permanent commission to women officers was taken by the Indian Air Force and all its branches including fighter pilots are open to women officers. Even several policy reforms have been inducted in the Indian Navy in order to give more opportunity to women officers.
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“In Indian Navy, all non-sea going branches/cadre/specialisation have been opened for induction of women officers through Short Service Commission. In addition to education, law and naval constructor branch/cadre, women SSC officers have been made eligible for grant of permanent commission in the naval armament branch, at par with male officers,” the statement said.
The ministry also stated that proposal for induction of three new training ships for the Navy. “This will provide the requisite infrastructure for training of both men and women officers. Indian Navy will start inducting women in all branches, once the training ships are in place,” it said.