- IMA to induct its first batch of women cadets in a milestone decision
- Indian Army increases leadership positions and operational duties for women
- Smooth transition anticipated, due to decades of experience in training women at OTA
The admission of women cadets is now a historic step towards gender equality for the Indian Military Academy (IMA), following the Indian Army's endeavor to provide greater opportunities and exposure to women in command positions and operational postings in a larger sense. Since the Army has had over 30 years of experience of training women in the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), the transition should generally be quite smooth.
"I do not foresee any difficulties since women have been trained for the last 30 years at the OTA. IMA will have similar standards and procedures for training. Gender-specific needs will also be taken care of. The military has fully adopted women," said Lieutenant Colonel Anu Singh Randhawa (retd) of the Army Ordnance Corps after serving for 21 years in the army.
Class 12 students can take up NDA and Naval Academy examinations, organized by the UPSC. Those qualifying a written exam are subject to a five-day SSB selection procedure, which assesses their personality and intelligence. The successful candidates would then be subject to medical examination, following which the final merit list is made public by the UPSC.
The duration of NDA training is three years which is divided into six terms. After the completion of these training cadets are sent for training to specialized academies of their chosen service-Army, Navy, or Air Force-before being commissioned as officers.
The lofty induction of women cadets at IMA unfolds at a time when the Indian Army is granting women officers’ ample access to operational roles. Currently, about 60 percent of army women commanding officers (COs) lead their units in sensitive forward locations in the Northern and Eastern Commands, which are significant in guarding the borders of India.
Since the army opened the command roles to women two years ago, over 145 women officers have moved upward into the colonel rank, about 115 of who already head units. This is a significant departure toward gender equality in the armed forces.
An unprecedented five-page letter wrote in October, then 17 Corps Commander Lieutenant General Rajeev Puri, to Eastern army Commander Lieutenant General Ram Chander Tiwari, referring to the difficulties that are reportedly being faced by units led by women officers in eastern sector. The letter cited an internal review by the mountain strike corps based at Panagarh, referring to leadership issues, sense of entitlement, and disparity in ambition level among women officers.
Women are increasingly given key roles in the Indian armed forces, such as flying fighter jets and serving on warships. Even induction into personnel below officer rank (PBOR) cadre has been initiated, but some areas remain closed. Women are still barred from tank regiments and combat in the infantry.
