Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 5

In a move that could see more number of girls wearing the IAF wings on their dress, the Air Force has opened its doors to female NCC C-certificate holders for direct entry as commissioned officers in the flying branch. The benefit till now was available only to male cadets and female candidates, like non-NCC cadets, were required to appear for a competitive written examination.“The policy to allow direct entry to female cadets was cleared by the Air Headquarters recently and its implementation starts with the current induction cycle that is about to begin,” said Wg Cdr MR Pandeya, Commanding Officer of the Chandigarh NCC air squadron.To facilitate entry, an online registration system has been introduced that would commence from May 20 and remain open till June 15, Pandeya added. Male cadets would also be able to apply through this portal. The IAF’s direct entry scheme allows Air Wing C-certificate holders, who fulfil the stipulated age and education criteria, to bypass the written entrance examination and appear directly for assessment before the Services Selection Board (SSB).The IAF has, according to figures released in March 2017, 1,581 women officers in all branches out of which over a 100 are pilots. The IAF began inducting women as short service commissioned officers in 1993, including the flying branch where they were eligible to fly transport aircraft and helicopters.The policy was revised in 2016 to allow women in the fighter stream on an experimental basis. Three women were selected and are undergoing training as combat pilots, though no woman has since opted for the fighter stream. In 2010, permanent commission for women officers was also introduced in some branches.