From the next year, there will be female agniveers in the IAF: VR Chaudhari, Air Chief

Air Chief Marshal (ACM) VR Chaudhari in a press conference on Tuesday has declared that the Indian Air Force has decided to start accepting female applicants for the Air Force Agniveers programme in 2019. On October 8, the Air Chief spoke at the annual press conference before the organization’s 90th Raising Day has announced female applicants for Other Ranks (ORs) positions for the first time. ‘Women would be accepted as ORs under the Agniveer plan,’ states declaration made by the Navy and Army. Women have been enlisted as officers in the Air Force.

Days before the 90th Indian Air Force Day, ACM Chaudhari spoke to the media in Delhi and declared: ‘We as an organisation are gender agnostic and recognise merit and performance above all else. A high percentage of female officers in the IAF is evidence of our dedication to ensuring equality of opportunity and a level playing field for all people, regardless of gender.

Next year, there will be the introduction of female Agniveers, he said.

Approximately 3,500 Agniveers will be enlisted by the Air Force as part of its recruitment efforts in 2019. In December of this year, 3,000 male Agniveers will enter the service.

‘In the Agniveer programme, we are looking for 10% females. We are considering for a fleets that we can utilise now and expand later.’ The Air Chief remarked, ‘We will accept them in the trade and fleet with an open mind’ he added.

A different officer who addressed the subject stated that ‘the induction of the female candidates in the first year will be about 3 percent and it will keep climbing to the level of 10 percent by the fourth year.’

The permanent Cadre, which will be designated for individuals inducted for permanent duty, will not include the Agniveers. The 39 Trades in the Air Force each include streams and substreams.

The government announced a new recruitment plan for the armed forces in June, under which soldiers will be enrolled for a four-year initial period without the benefit of a pension. 25% of them will be inducted for 15 years at the end of the fourth year.

The officer stated that the induction of the women agniveers for permanent duty ‘would rely on merit and the numbers will not be fixed for them.’ The selected women cadets will also be referred as Airmen during induction.