Five army women officers to be Colonels

Five women officers of the Indian Army have been selected for promotion as Colonel. The clearance of the promotion of the five women officers was given by an Army Selection Board.

The promotion is on their completion of 26 years or reckonable service. The officers selected for the promotion are from the Corps of Signals, Corps of Electronic and Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (EME). Earlier, promotion to the rank of Colonel was possible only for women serving in the Army Medical Corps, the Judge Advocate General branch and the Army Education Corps.

Last year, the Supreme Court ordered that all women officers recruited under the Short Service Commission (SSC) would be eligible for Permanent Commission. Before that, only women in non-combat streams like the JAG and the Army Education Corps were eligible for Permanent Commission.

An official press release of the Defence Ministry said that widening of promotion avenues to more branches of the Indian Army is a sign of increasing career opportunities for women officers. Combined with the decision to grant permanent commission to women officers from a majority of branches of the Indian Army, this step defines the Indian Army’s approach towards a gender-neutral Army.

The five women officers selected for Colonel Time Scale rank are Lt Col Sangeeta Sardana from the Corps of Signals, Lt Col Sonia Anand and Lt Col Navneet Duggal from the Corps of EME and Lt Col Reenu Khanna and Lt Col Ritcha Sagar from the Corps of Engineers.