Indian Army promotes five women officers in three key corps to time-scale Colonel rank after 26 years of ‘reckonable service’
The HinduIn yet another victory in the quest for equal opportunities for women in the Indian Army, a Services Selection Board of the Army has cleared the way for the time-scale promotion of five women officers to full Colonel rank in three key corps. Previously, promotion to the rank of Colonel was only applicable for women officers in the Army Medical Corps, Judge Advocate General and the Army Education Corps branches. The five women officers selected for promotion to Colonel 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. Combined with the decision to grant permanent commission to women officers in most branches of the Indian Army, this step defines the Indian Army’s approach towards a gender-neutral Army.” The move to grant time-scale Colonel rank to the five women officers comes on the heels of the August 18 interim orders of the Supreme Court, which directed that women candidates also be allowed to sit for the National Defence Academy entrance exam, scheduled to be held on September 5.