Under the Agnipath Center’s new military recruitment model, the Indian Navy will particularly focus on gender neutrality and recruit female sailors. Upon completion of the training program, female recruits would be assigned aboard naval vessels. Although women have served in all three sectors of defense – the army, navy and air force, this would be the first time that women were recruited into the personnel below the rank of officer (PBOR ).
Earlier, Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh spoke to the press about the admission of women under the Agnipath scheme. In his remarks, Vice Admiral Singh said that no percentage has been finalized for the induction of women into the armed forces under the new military recruitment program. However, he had acknowledged that there is a provision in the program which allows for the recruitment of women when needed.
Indian Navy to recruit female sailors under new Agnipath scheme
At a tri-service press conference held in Delhi on June 19, the Indian Navy’s Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi spoke about the recruitment of women and the navy’s plans to recruit women. However, the exact number of female recruits is still under discussion, he said.
“The Indian Navy currently has 30 female officers serving in different Indian Navy vessels. We have decided that under the Agnipath scheme, we will also recruit female officers. They will also be deployed in naval vessels,” the Vice added. -Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.
Further, Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi informed that arrangements are being made to accommodate female sailors at INS Chilika in Odisha where the INS base training camp is located. In a statement, he also said that both male and female Agniveers would reach the training facility on November 21, 2022.
Meanwhile, Air Marshal SK Jha had said the registration process for the first batch of Agniveers would start on June 24 while an online review would be conducted on July 24. Training of the first batch of Agniveers is expected to begin in November this year. .
Hailing the Agnipath program earlier, the senior Navy official, Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, called it a very attractive opportunity for the country’s youth. Mentioning the report of the Kargil committee, he had said that enthroning young people would raise the profile of the armed forces.
