Women and Indian Armed Forces:Role and status

Why in news:

Earlier denied any possible combat role in Indian military recently IAF(Indian Air Force) has announced to induct women as fighter pilot which germinated a new ray of hope of gender equity and women empowerment in Indian forces.

Background:

• Induction of women in military was not an easy process.  Until 1992, women in the Indian armed forces were limited to Army Medical Corps, the Army Dental Corps and the Military Nursing services. 
• Later concept of Short Services Commission was started for 14 years and women were allowed to service for 14 years only unlike their counterpart(male) who were granted permanent commission.
• Further a Delhi HC judgement came which provided some sort of relief to women officers and granted their fair claim for permanent commission.HC ruled that granting permanent commission “is not a charity being sought… but enforcement of their constitutional rights”. With this ruling Indian forces has started permanent commission only in two field i.e. education and law(but Army has denied it and now practiced only in Navy and Air Force)

Post-mortem:

• With all-women contingent of all three services and leading of a ceremonial tri-services guard of honour by Puja Thakur India showcased its “women-power” in Indian military but it is a half-baked truth which shows only one side of picture.
• Though historically  women have served in combat role(Rani Durgawati,Rani Laxamibai),today they are still denied of any possible combat role in any armed forces citing various reasons like lack of greater endurance, physical capacity compare to male counterpart, harassment  during POW(prisoners of war) etc.
• Strength of female in forces also shed lights on gender inequity in forces.Their strength is limited to mere 4-5% compare to male counterpart(95-96%).
• The mindset of male is also distorted.Women officer have low acceptance ratio in leadership role owing to the prevalent patriarchal mindset in society.Even the Army has said in one of report “In theory women in the army may sound good but in practical terms the arrangement has not worked well in the Indian Army and as a concept also our society is not prepared to accept women in combat role.”
• Further cases of psychological ,sexual harassment by male and their viewing of spending on women’s training as wastage(as female are not equally biological capable) is prevalent in forces.
• But inducting women in armed forces could have spillover effect over the mindset of people and it could provide a thrust to women to fight for their rights.
• Apart from that women in forces could address women issues in better way especially in those areas where cases of sexual abuse and human rights violations have been witnessed.

Need of Hour:

Induction of women in IAF as fighter pilot and in ITBP(in border areas) shows a significant step in establishing gender equity in forces. But it would be proved merely a cosmetic exercise unless a overall organic structure is not changed which requires a changed mindset among  male counterparts regarding women,induction of women in combat roles in all forces(even  various countries like Pak,USA,Israel follow this practice) ,starting permanent commission in all areas in all forces ,engaging various countries on multilateral platform regarding differential treatment to women soldiers.