Lok Sabha Question No. 2748 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-04
Subject: Army Dental Corps
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2748

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04 th  August, 2023

## ARMY DENTAL CORPS

## 2748.   SHRIMATI KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that almost 90% of the vacancies were allotted to males in the recently conducted Army Dental Corps (ADC) recruitment process;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the reasons for leaving only 10 per cent of the vacancies for women;
- (d) the present strength of women in Army Dental Corps; and
- (e) the measures taken by the Government to promote the involvement of women in the defence services?

## A  N  S  W  E  R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

- (a):   Yes, Sir.
- (b):    During  the  recently  conducted  recruitment  process  of  Army  Dental  Corps  for  Short Service Commission - 2022, a total of 30 vacancies (27 for Gentlemen Dental Officers and 03 for Lady Dental Officers) were advertised.
- (c):  The engagement of Lady Dental Officers in the Army Dental Corps is restricted based on service constraints and employment considerations.  At the time of assessment of vacancies for Short Service Commission - 2022, there were 187 Lady Dental Officers in the Army Dental Corps out of a total strength of 743 officers (25.2%).  Therefore, it was decided during the Medical Service Advisory Committee (MSAC) meeting held on 23 rd  November, 2021 to limit the intake of Lady Dental Officers to the extent brought out at Part (b) above.
- (d):  Presently, there are 183 Lady Dental Officers out of total held strength of 716 (25.6%).
- (e):  Army:

Combat employment philosophy of women in the Armed Forces is a continuously evolving process.  At present, women are being commissioned in the Indian Army in following Streams: -  (i)  Corps  of  Engineers;  (ii)  Corps  of  Signals;  (iii)  Army  Air  Defence;  (iv)  Army  Service Corps; (v) Army Ordnance Corps; (vi) Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers; (vii) Army Aviation Corps; (viii) Intelligence Corps; (ix) Judge Advocate General Branch and (x) Army Education Corps.

(SHRI AJAY BHATT)

Some major initiatives to promote the involvement of women in the defence services are as under: -

- (i) 20 vacancies for Women Army cadets per year have been allotted in National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune with effect from July, 2022.
- (ii) Short  Service  Commission  (SSC)  has  90  vacancies  for  women  including 10 additional vacancies increased with effect from June, 2023.
- (iii) Approval has been given, since March, 2023 for induction of women officers into following branches: -
- (aa) Artillery units.
- (ab) Remount and Veterinary Corps.
- (iv) Entry of women officers as pilots in Army Aviation has commenced with effect from June, 2021.
- (v) Enrolment of women as Other Ranks in Corps of Military Police in the Indian Army has commenced since 2019.

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 with effect from 2022 and 20% vacancies are reserved for women.

Air Force:

Officers  recruitment  in  the  Indian  Air  Force  (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. The experimental scheme to induct women officers in all combat roles, initiated by the IAF in 2015 has now been regularized into a permanent scheme.

## Armed Forces Medical Services:

The representation of women in the Armed Forces Medical Services includes: -

- (i) 1637 Lady Doctor Officers out of a held strength of 7350 (22.3%).
- (ii) 183 Lady Dental Officers out of a held strength of 716 (25.6%).
- (iii)      4646 Lady Nursing Officers in an all-women cadre (100%).

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