The Hindu : National : Pay disparity will be ended: Army

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 25, 2006

National

National

Pay disparity will be ended: Army

Special Correspondent

No permanent commission for women

NEW DELHI: The Army has said that there was no move to grant permanent commission to women officers but the impending abolition of the Women's Special Entry Scheme would end the pay differential with their male colleagues entering the force as Short Service Commission Officers. Senior Army officers said women officers joining service through the WSES had an salary advantage compared to men who joined through the SSC.

With the Cabinet deciding to abolish the WSES and clubbing the intake of 150 women every year with men SSCOs, this discrimination in favour of women would end. However, the pay differential between SSC officers and their permanent cadre counterparts would remain. This is because a committee headed by former Defence Secretary A.V. Singh had looked into the promotional prospects of permanent service officers and the Union Cabinet approved the recommendation in quick time.

Women officers on short service commission are given the rank of Captain after a year's service. Men become Lieutenants, one rung junior. Rules for facilitating the entry of women through the SSC are currently being framed.

PTI reports:

The Government on Saturday said women officers in the armed forces could be considered for combat roles in future depending upon their willingness to undergo hard training. It directed all salary anomalies and discrimination against them to be sorted out.

In significant remarks in the wake of a controversy over allegations of gender bias in the three services, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said till the time came when they assumed combat roles, women officers in the Army could be inducted into operating high-tech weapon system and platform.

"They will do very well in Information Technology. They are doing very well in the medical services. But we want them in other areas also. In hard areas we want them to participate more depending on their willingess,'' he said in an interview to the All India Radio's `Spotlight' programme.

"Right now we are not putting them [in combat roles] because it is more hazardous, but I am quite confident a day will come when they will make their contribution."

Mr. Mukherjee said he directed the Army Chief "to look into equal pay and uniform" for women officers and all discrimination in pay and other allowances against them be sorted out.

The Minister said as far as recruitment under Short Service Commission (SSC) was concerned, women had an advantage. However, they had some disadvantages in other areas with respect to salaries, allowances and perks. — PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National