Lok Sabha Question No. 621 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-09
Subject: Participation of Women in Defence Sector
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: Reddeppa Nallakonda Gari, Sanjay(Kaka) Ramchandra Patil, Mimi Chakraborty

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

## DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 621

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09 th  December, 2022

## PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN DEFENCE SECTOR

621.SHRI N. REDDEPPA: SHRI SANJAY KAKA PATIL: MS. MIMI CHAKRABORTY:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:

- (a)  the rate of women participation in the Defence sector;
- (b)  the details of the female candidates recruited in Army through the recruitment camps and rallies during the last five years, year-wise and post-wise;
- (c)  the number of seats fixed for female candidates in Defence institutions like NDA, IMA and others, institution-wise;
- (d)  the number of posts vacant for female candidates in Army, Navy and Air Force;
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  step  to  increase  women  participation  in  the Defence

sector, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

- (f) whether the Government has undertaken  any  study  to  understand  the  reasons  for low

participation of women in the Defence sector, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## A  N  S  W  E  R

MINISTER OF STATE

(SHRI AJAY BHATT)

IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

- (a):  The percentage of women in Armed Forces is as under:

| Army (as on 1 st July, 2022)     | Officers (Excluding AMC/ADC)                | 3.97%    |
|----------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|----------|
| Army (as on 1 st July, 2022)     | Officers (AMC/ADC)                          | 21.25%   |
| Army (as on 1 st July, 2022)     | MNS Officers                                | 100%     |
| Army (as on 1 st July, 2022)     | JCO/OR                                      | 0.01%    |
| Navy                             | Officers                                    | About 6% |
| Air Force (as on 1 st Dec, 2022) | Officers (excluding Medical &Dental Branch) | 13.69%   |

## (b):  (i) Officers

| Year   | Intake   | Medical Officers                  | Medical Officers                  | Medical Officers                  |
|--------|----------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| Year   | Intake   | AMC                               | ADC                               | MNS                               |
| 2018   | 75       | 169                               | 20                                | 571                               |
| 2019   | 80       | 102                               | 34                                | 180                               |
| 2020   | 72       | 130                               | 26                                | 201                               |
| 2021   | 75       | 51                                | 05                                | 205                               |
| 2022   | 75       | Recruitment Process not completed | Recruitment Process not completed | Recruitment Process not completed |

## (ii)  JCO/OR

| Recruiting Year   | Intake                                     |
|-------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| 2019-20           | 100                                        |
| 2020-21           | Recruitment was suspended due to COVID- 19 |
| 2021-22           |                                            |
| 2022-23           | 100 (recruitment process not completed)    |

(c):

| Institutions             | Vacancies per year (As on date)           | Remarks                                                                            |
|--------------------------|-------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| NDA                      | 38 (Army - 20, Navy - 06 &Air Force - 12) | These vacancies are not fixed and are based on requirement of respective Services. |
| OTA                      | 80                                        | These vacancies are not fixed and are based on requirement of respective Services. |
| IMA                      | 20 ( Army cdts from NDA)                  | These vacancies are not fixed and are based on requirement of respective Services. |
| AFMC Pune                | 30                                        | These vacancies are not fixed and are based on requirement of respective Services. |
| College of Nursing (MNS) | 220                                       | These vacancies are not fixed and are based on requirement of respective Services. |

(d):    No  post  is  vacant  for  women  in  Indian  Army.  Sanctioned  posts  in  Indian  Navy  and Indian Air Force are gender neutral.

## (e): Army

Combat  employment  philosophy  of  women  in  the  Armed  Forces  is  a  continuously evolving process and regularly reviewed by the Indian Army. At present, the women are being  commissioned in Indian Army in ten Streams viz. Corps of Engineers, Corps of Signals,  Army  Air  Defence,  Army  Service  Corps,  Army  Ordnance  Corps,  Corp  of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Aviation Corps, Intelligence Corps, Judge Advocate General Branch and Army Education Corps in addition to the Armed Forces

Medical  Services  as  Doctors  and  Military  Nurses  which  is  a  women  only  entry.  New Avenues such as grant of

…3/- permanent  commission  to  SSC  women  officers,  induction  of  women  cadets  in  NDA, recruitment of Women as Provost JCOs/OR.

## Navy

The  induction  of  women  as  officers  in  the  Indian  Navy  commenced  in  the  year  1991. Since  then  the  Indian  Navy  has  gradually  opened  all  branches  to  women  officers including  induction  through  NDA.  Further,  for  the  first  time  women  are  also  being recruited for sailors entries under the Agnipath Scheme w.e.f. 2022 and 20% vacancies are reserved for women.

## Air Force

Officers recruitment in the IAF is gender neutral. Women officers are inducted in all the branches  and  streams  of  IAF.  Opportunities  for  a  career  in  IAF  service  are  widely publicized through print/ electronic media and special publicity drives. An opening has also been provided through NCC Special Entry for flying SSC (Women) from July 2017 onwards.The experimental scheme to induct women officers in all combat roles, initiated by  the  IAF  in  2015  has  now  been  regularised  into  a  permanent  scheme.  Such  gender neutral approach is facilitating the employment of women officers of IAF in all combat roles without any restrictions.

(f)   No study has been undertaken regarding the low participation of women as there has been a steady growth in the induction of women in the armed forces.

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