Lok Sabha Question No. 4043 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-09
Subject: Women in Defence Forces
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: THOKCHOM MEINYA, KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH, RABINDRA KUMAR JENA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4043

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9 TH  DECEMBER, 2016

## WOMEN IN DEFENCE FORCES

4043.  DR. THOKCHOM MEINYA: SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH: SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE j{kk ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the total strength of defence personnel in all three wings of defence forces vis-àvis the total number of female personnel employed therein;
- (b) whether there are any schemes and programmes specifically targeting to increase involvement of women in defence sector;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether more number of  women have  joined the defence  sector  during  the  last three years and if so, the details thereof, State / UT-wise; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to induct women officers for combat duties in all three wings of defence forces and if so, the details thereof, force-wise?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(DR. SUBHASH BHAMRE)

र  ा रा य मं ी

( डा . सुभाष भामरे )

(a) to (e): A statement is attached.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4043 FOR ANSWER ON 9.12.2016

(a) The total held strength of defence personnel vis-à-vis the total number of  female  officers  (excluding  medical  and  dental  branch)  in  all  the  three wings of defence forces is as under:

| Army                             | Army                   | Army                             | Navy                              | Navy                       | Navy                              | Air Force                          | Air Force                 | Air Force                         |
|----------------------------------|------------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| Total officers (as on 1.1. 2016) | PBOR (as on 1.1. 2016) | Women officers (as on 1.7. 2016) | Total officers (as on 6.12. 2016) | Sailors (as on 6.12. 2016) | Women officers (as on 6.12. 2016) | Total offic ers (as on 1.12. 2016) | Airmen (as on 1.11. 2016) | Women officers (as on 1.12. 2016) |
| 41162                            | 1159093                | 1512                             | 9356                              | 57031                      | 453                               | 11948                              | 128898                    | 1584                              |

(b) & (c): The  Government  has been taking steps to  make  Short  Service Commission  (SSC)  more  attractive  which  in  turn  is  also  expected  to encourage the intake of women officers in the Armed Forces.  Further, few more branches / streams have been opened for induction of women as SSC officers.

(d) The details of  women officers (excluding medical and dental branch) recruited during the last three years, Service-wise, are as under:

|   Year |   Army |   Navy |   Air Force |
|--------|--------|--------|-------------|
|   2013 |    127 |     50 |         144 |
|   2014 |    104 |     57 |         155 |
|   2015 |     72 |     35 |         223 |

(e) On  experimental  basis,  the  Government  has  inducted  three  women Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) in Air Force into the fighter stream on 18.6.2016.  This experimental entry scheme for women in fighter stream will be valid for 5 years from the date of issue of Government of India letter  dated  2.12.2015.    However,  presently  there  is  no    proposal  with  the Government  to  induct  women  officers  for  combat  duties  in  Army  or  for deployment of women onboard warships.

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