Army begins recruitment drive for women soldiers
NEW DELHI — The army on Thursday began recruitment drives for the first batch of women soldiers, who will be inducted in non-combat roles. Rallies were held in various cantonments including those in Lucknow and Shillong.
The army is conducting a selection test for the first batch of 100 women soldiers to be taken into the Corps of Military Police.
Army officials said women candidates from West Bengal, Odisha and Sikkim attended the rally in Shillong which is being conducted over two days. Candidates from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand attended the rally in Lucknow.
According to officials, candidates selected in the rallies will have to successfully clear a written test too in order to qualify for training.
The induction will take place in March 2021 after the batch of selected candidates complete a 61-weeklong training course.
“Batches comprising similar numbers of soldiers will be trained and commissioned every year. The cadre of women soldiers in the Corps of Military Police will be maintained at a fixed number of 1,700. This number will be achieved by filling the corps in batches,” said a senior Army official.
In all 4,457 candidates from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have been called in multiple phases for testing at AMC Centre and College in Lucknow.
Director of Recruitment, Colonel Ashutosh Mehta told ANI, “Out of all the online applications that we received from April to June, we have shortlisted 4,457 candidates from the states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
“Around 600 candidates have reported in the first phase of testing so far. The girls look very excited and enthusiastic about joining the army. It is a very good beginning,” he added.
One of the candidates, Priya, who hails from Prayagraj, wants to follow her father’s footsteps and join the army. “It is my dream job and qualifying for the trials itself is an achievement for me. I want to follow my father’s footsteps and join the army. I have lived in the cantonment area all my life, so I am in love with the army lifestyle,” the candidate said.
Another enthusiastic candidate, Nishu Devi wants to fulfil her dream of serving the nation. “I always wanted to serve the nation and it is a good opportunity since this recruitment is happening for the first time. I just hope that I make the final cut!”
In the Corps of Military Police, women soldiers will take up duties of policing cantonments and other Army establishments. The women soldiers will also work in cooperation with police forces of various states as well as the centre besides handling prisoners of war and maintenance of rules. They will also investigate cases of crime.
At present, women in the Army work only in areas like engineering, medical, legal, signals and educational wings. —
It is my dream job and qualifying for the trials itself is an achievement for me. I want to follow my father’s footsteps and join the army. I have lived in the cantonment area all my life, so I am in love with the army lifestyle Priya, a candidate from Prayagraj