NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing push for “gender neutrality” in the overwhelmingly male-dominated environment of the armed forces, General Upendra Dwivedi on Monday said women officers were performing extremely well, at odds with the ” perception” of a serving lieutenant general who was harshly criticized for not living up to the standards required as commanding officers (COs).
The Army chief said the number of women in the armed forces will continue to increase as “gender neutrality” progressively gains ground in society and the military. At present, the 11 lakh-plus army has 1,732 women officers (the number increases to 8,000 if doctors, nurses and a few others are included) and 310 military police.
By the end of 2025, the number of female officers will increase to 2,037. There are already 115 women COs and 18 more are ready to join them.
I found mature and thoughtful female officers, says army chief
The Army also anticipates a “12-fold increase” in women joining other ranks by 2032.
“As far as the army is concerned, we want strong women officers…maybe ‘Kaali Mata Ka Roop’…It means it has to be a gender-neutral approach,” Gen Dwivedi said.
However, a couple of months ago, the then commander of 17 Corps, Lieutenant General Rajeev Puri, had harshly criticized women COs for “poor interpersonal relationships”, “misplaced sense of entitlement” and “lack of empathy ” towards the troops under his command, with an “exaggerated tendency to complain” to higher command, in a letter addressed to higher authorities, as TOI reported then.
On this, General Dwivedi said, “The letter should not have been leaked. A court of inquiry has been ordered on it. It is your perception (and) you have every right to give that perception and comment. It was an internal communication.”
The army chief said it was important to consider the context in which women officers were appointed OC as per the SC directions. As the entire process was rushed, women officers were not trained or prepared for the challenging role of CO, unlike their male counterparts who undertake ‘junior command’, staff school and other attached courses, as well as required appointments as young officers.
“There are currently 16 female officers in the staff school. Now there are female officers in the artillery regiment and pilots in the army aviation. When I commanded the Northern Command, I found the female officers to be mature, thoughtful and active” . said the army chief.
Female officers have only just begun commanding air defense, signals, artillery, engineer, intelligence, service corps and similar units from 2023, although they are still not allowed in the main “combat arms” of infantry, armored corps and mechanized infantry. of the Army.