Another great decision: Gender Equality in Indian Armed Forces
Photo Courtsey: india-defence.com
This year the world is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the International Women’s Day. It is a commendable thing then that in this year we have the women’s reservation bill passed by Rajya Sabha. Right after that achievement we have another reason to celebrate.
The Indian women in the armed forces now have equal rights as their male counterparts. The Hindustan Times reports,
The Delhi High Court on Friday made service conditions the same for men and women in India’s armed forces. For some of them, at least.
The order allows women joining the Army and Indian Air Force before 2006 to opt for Permanent Commission, and continue in service as long as their male colleagues.
Under a policy, which changed in 2006, these women were recruited through the Short Service Commission route with tenures from five to 14 years.
At the end of their tenure they could not upgrade to Permanent Commission and remain in service, an option available to their male colleagues.
Now they can.
The decision has finally granted a long deserved right to the women in armed forces, whose tenure at the services were less than those of men and they had no option to become permenant. One wonders why and how are such unjust regulations made in the first place.
Hearing the decision, Wing Commander Anupama Joshi, 41, is all set to start jogging and get back in shape as she will now be reinstated.
Joshi, who was one of the first women to join the IAF in 1993, added, “I had kept my uniform for emotional reasons. I never imagined I would get to wear it again. It’s been a long fight, a lonely one.”
She retired from the IAF in 2008 after putting in 15 years of service. Joshi is currently the CEO of a rural banking project in Uttarakhand, earning far more than an IAF officer of her seniority.
“It’s not about the money. It’s about what’s right and wrong. I felt I was given a raw deal only because I was born a woman. It was sheer gender disparity and nothing else.” Says Joshi.
Tagged armed forces, defence, delhi high court, gender equality, india, indian women
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