Under commando training, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) has introduced heli-borne slithering operations for its female members. The force's Basic Training Centre (BTC) in Bhanu, close here, hosted the first such class today, where they exhibited their newly acquired talent.
Slithering is a strategy that involves slipping down a rope attached to a helicopter hovering several metres above the ground to quickly induct and deploy personnel during operations in isolated places or challenging terrain.
“This is for the first time that women personnel have been trained in slithering operations as part of their pre-promotion course,” said Ishwar Singh Duhan, Inspector-General, BTC. “This will not only aid rapid insertion of women personnel in border areas as and when required, but also enable their deployment during disaster management tasks where women-related tasks need to be undertaken,” he added.
The women are subordinate officers with the rank of sub-inspector who are part of the 3rd Commando Course for female troops, which runs concurrently with the 20th Commando Course for male personnel. For long years, slithering operations have been part of male personnel's training.
Women constables have been members of the ITBP, which protects the Himalayan border with China, for over a decade, but women at the subordinate level have only recently joined the service. The ITBP inducted its first two direct entry women officials at the level of assistant commandant just last year.
According to ITBP sources, there are over 2,400 women constables in the ITBP, with over 100 subordinate officials. In recent batches, over 20% of hopefuls for direct entrance subordinate officers are now women.
The ITBP has recently opened up several trades to women constables that were previously only available to men. Women have been hired as dog handlers, cooks, gardeners, tailors, water carriers, cleaners, and even a cobbler for the first time.
