The Indian Army has announced a significant step towards promoting gender equality within the force by introducing a common, gender-neutral selection board for promotion to the rank of colonel, which will be applicable to all officers from the 2009 batch onwards. This move will ensure that male and female officers will be evaluated on the same criteria, and selection for promotion will be based purely on merit, with no bias towards gender.
Previously, women officers faced significant obstacles in attaining leadership roles within the army due to various policy limitations. However, the recent introduction of a special selection board to promote women officers to the rank of select-grade colonel has paved the way for increased gender inclusivity in the force. Multiple policy waivers were granted for mandatory qualifications, requirements to earn reports in command of a company, and no reports earned for up to seven years by officers who had exited service and rejoined after a gap.
The new common selection board will ensure that male and female officers are evaluated and promoted on the same criteria, with no benchmarking of merit with their male batchmates. The army will ensure that equal promotion ratios are maintained for both male and female officers, and merit-based selection will ensure that deserving candidates are given the opportunity to progress in their careers.
Women officers will now also be considered for selection as brigadiers along with their male batch mates, and they will be graded based upon their eligibility and comparative profile. This move will further increase the opportunities available for women in the army and pave the way for more women to take on leadership roles.
The army has taken multiple actions to empower women officers for leadership roles, including a senior command course to prepare them for the rigours of command by orienting them to operational, intelligence, logistics, and administrative aspects of the new roles. A growing number of women are now competing for staff courses at the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington in Tamil Nadu, which will empower them for command appointments.
Women officers selected for command appointments are being offered the same career opportunities as their male counterparts, and the army is ensuring that the force swiftly transits towards inclusivity by empowering women officers for leadership roles. The upcoming commissioning of women into the regiment of artillery is the latest in a series of steps taken by the army to open more doors for them.
Overall, the Indian Army is taking significant strides towards promoting gender inclusivity in the force, and these moves will help to ensure that women officers are given equal opportunities and are able to take on leadership roles on a par with their male counterparts.
