Paramilitary forces to get woman officers

After declaring reservation for women in constabulary in paramilitary forces, they can now also be inducted as officers in combat roles in all five Central Armed Police Forces.

The Union Home Ministry recently published new rules allowing women to apply as direct-entry officers in border guarding force Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the only paramilitary which hitherto did not allow women to join in supervisory combat roles owing to its task of guarding the difficult Sino-India border.

Among five of the Central Armed Police Forces, the Central Reserve Police Force, the Central Industrial Security Force, the Border Security Force and the Sashastra Seema Bal have been allowing women to apply as direct-entry officers. Now, by allowing women to apply as direct-entry officers in ITBP, all restrictions have been lifted on women.

“With this new rule coming into effect, women can now apply for combat roles in any of the five paramilitary forces of the country,” a senior officer said. “Women will be recruited as Assistant Commandants, which is the direct-entry level for officers in ITBP. Then, they have to undergo a training of about 52-weeks after which they will be commissioned in the force,” the officer said.