No Bias Against Women in Army; Instead Men Discriminated Against

New Delhi, June 23 (UNI) Short Service Commissioned (SSC) Gentlemen Officers in the Army continue to be discriminated in salary vis-a-vis the Women Special Entry Scheme (WSES) Lady Officers -- but the anomaly will soon be corrected.

In matters of rank and salary, male SSC officers in the Army get the short end of it as compared to lady officers entering Army service through the WSES route. Besides, they also have to train for twice as long -- 48 weeks as compared to 24 weeks undergone by the WSES entrants.

But, according to official sources here, the anomaly will soon be set right once WSES -- initiated in 1992 to facilitate intake of women in the Army's non-combatant arms -- is scrapped and women officers recruited through the routine Short Service Commission (SSC) route as in the case of male candidates.

Meanwhile -- contrary to news reports in a section of the media, it were the men officers who have been facing discrimination.

SSC officers on completion of 48 weeks training are appointed as Lieutenants at a Basic Salary of Rs 8,250. They continue as Lieutenants for another five years at the end of which they draw a Basic Salary of Rs 10,500. SSC officers are then promoted Captains.

WSES officers, on the other hand, remain Lieutenants -- at the same Basic Salary of Rs 8,250 -- only for a year at the end of which they get promoted to the Captain rank where at the end of a five-year tenure they draw Rs 11,400 as Basic Salary.

Further, if the SSC officer receives an extension in tenure at the end of five years, he remains a Lieutenant for the total tenure.

In short, the WSES officers not only train half as long as SSC officers, they get promoted to the next rank within only a year of receiving their commission.

The only saving grace for SSC officers is that at the end of their five-year tenure thay can opt for Permanent Regular Commission -- a route yet not open for WSES officers.

SSC officers granted Permanent Regular Commission (PRC) suffer a loss of eight months in service seniority -- since they had trained for only ten months as compared to 18 months of training undergone by PRC aspirants.

Referring to the media reports on this issue, sources in the Army said it was ''grossly mischievous'' to equate the rank and salary structure of WSES officers with that of PRC officers since these were lower for SSC officers also.

Moreover, SSC officers could leave the Army after five years of service while PRC officers can do so only after 20 years of active service, they pointed out.

Similar ''discrimination'' does not exist in the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force since both induct women officers through the Short Service Commission route -- unlike the Army, not having opted for WSES.

UNI DG VD KP1940