New Delhi, April 1: The Indian Army has initiated the process of promoting more women from the post of Lieutenant Colonel to the post of Colonel. A special selection board proceedings has taken place in the Military Secretary’s branch.
This is the second such special board for women officers set up for their promotion as Colonels. “The Special Selection Board is considering the overall performance of 20 women officers of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel out of which six will be promoted as Colonels,” according to Army sources.
These Officers belong to the Army’s Service Corps and Ordnance Corps from the 1992 batch to the 2006 batch. In January this year, the first special selection board cleared 108 out of 244 Lt Colonels. They have been given their Command assignments. Officers for the rank of Colonel and above are selected by board of officers. An officer given the rank of Colonel will command independent functional units of the Army.
Beyond this comes the formations and collections of such units as Brigades, divisions and Corps commanded by the Brigadiers, Major Generals and Lieutenant Generals. The task on the ground is executed by the units. In the normal course of service selection for command is done in a span of around 17 years of service. Those not empanelled get their time-scale promotion as Colonels after 26 years of service.
According to Army sources, the vacancies for this Board have been released by the government to promote the affected women officers, to ensure gender parity in the Indian Army. The whole process is being carried out with the aim to provide equal opportunities to women. In 2021, the Army granted permanent commission to 424 of 615 women officers at par with their male counterparts.
With this grant, women officers can aspire to shoulder higher ranks and responsibility. In fact, for the first time, five women officers have cleared the prestigious Defence Services Staff Course and Defense Services Technical Staff Course examination.
EOM.
