The Indian Air Force (IAF) has the largest percentage of female employees among the three branches of the armed forces, at about 13.69%, State Minister for Defense Ajay Bhatt stated in the Lok Sabha.
Bhatt stated that "officer recruitment in the IAF is gender neutral" when presenting data on the "presence of women in the defence industry" during the current winter session of the Parliament.
"All branches and streams of the IAF are accepting applications from women officers. Through print, electronic, and special advertising campaigns, opportunities for a career in IAF service are widely recognised, the minister continued.
In 2015, the IAF launched an experimental programme to appoint women to combat positions. This programme has now been made permanent and is promoting gender-neutral employment in combat positions.
The information was sent as part of a written response from MoS Bhatt to Lok Sabha Member from Andhra Pradesh N. Reddeppa.
In addition, the minister disclosed to the House that women make up 6% of the Indian Navy's employment.
In 1991, women were first admitted as officers in the Indian Navy. Since then, the Indian Navy has gradually allowed female officers to join all branches, including through the NDA, according to Bhatt's response.
Under the Agnipath Scheme, women are now being hired for the first time as sailors. They have been given priority for 20% of the open opportunities for sailors.
In addition, the Indian Army had the lowest percentage of female employees among the three armed services at just 3.97. This does not apply to officers working for the Army Dental or Medical Corps. The results showed that 21.25 percent of officers working in the medical and dental corps are female.
In addition to the Armed Forces Medical Services as doctors and military nurses, which is a women-only entry, the reply continued, "“At present, women are being commissioned in Indian Army in ten streams—Corps of Engineers, Corps of Signals, Army Air Defence, Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps, Corp of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Aviation Corps, Intelligence Corps, Judge Advocate General Branch and Army Education Corps in addition to the Armed Forces.
In addition, the minister noted that there are 38 seats at the National Defence Academy (NDA), 20 at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), 220 at the College of Nursing in Pune, 30 at the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune, and 80 at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai that are designated for women.
