866 female cadets recruited in Army, Navy and Air Force in last three years

New Delhi, December 18, 2017: As many
as 866 women cadets have been recruited in the Army, Navy and Air Force in last
three years. They have been recruited in the officer cadre only. 

A record of 486 female cadets have
been recruited in the Air Force (excluding Medical and Dental Branch) followed by
245 in the Army and 135 in the Navy in 2014, 2015 and 2016, informed Union
Minister of State for Defence Dr Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Tiruchi
Siva in Rajya Sabha.

In 2011, the Union Government
approved consideration of women Short Service Commission Officers (SSCOs) 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 the Army and their corresponding branches in Navy and Air Force, Naval
Constructor in Navy and Accounts Branch in Air Force, the Minister said.

In March 2016, approval has been
accorded for induction of women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers as
Pilots in Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) stream and in the Naval Armament
Inspectorate (NAI) cadre.

In the Indian Air Force since 1993,
women officers have been inducted in all branches and stream as Short Service
Commissioned Officers except in the fighter stream. However, IAF has revised
Short Service Commission scheme to induct women into the fighter stream on
experimental basis for five years. The first batch of three women officers was
commissioned in the fighter stream in June 18, 2016.

In addition, steps like increasing
tenure of women officers and improving promotional prospects in Army have been
taken to increase participation of women in the Army.