*_1. The trg duration for the Women Officers ( WO ) batches, which was considered in SB3 of Jan 2023, was Six Months only. Their contemporaries in IMA underwent 18 months trg with different physical stds due to Male Female anatomical differences. Both got commissioned as Lt and are having similar conditions of service now. What is the need of having additional trg of one Year at IMA and additional 4 months at OTA? Isn’t govt exchequer monetarily at loss for this additional trg period to achieve same result???_*

*_2. The trg duration for the WO batches considered in SB3 of Jan 2023 during JC (MLTOC) with reduced professional syllabus was Six Weeks only. Their contemporary Gentlemen Offrs underwent earlier 12 or now 10 weeks trg. And both are being emp for similar duties and are having similar conditions of service now. What is the need of having additional trg of 4-6 weeks? Isn’t govt exchequer monetarily at loss for this additional trg period for Gentlemen Offrs to achieve same result???_*

*_3.The trg duration for the WO batches considered in SB3 of Jan 2023 during proposed SC is again Six Weeks only. Their contemporary Gentlemen offrs underwent earlier minimum 10 weeks trg. Both are emp for similar duties and are having similar conditions of service now as COs. What is the need and logic of having additional trg of 4 weeks for Gentlemen offrs going to Comd similar units now? Isn’t govt exchequer monetarily at loss for this additional trg period for Gentlemen Offrs to achieve same results??? Is ARTRAC a welfare comd or trg comd meant for enforcement of similar rigorous trg for all irrespective of genders. The War College too seems to be diluting it’s professional stds_*.

*_4. SCO offrs are not considered for Comd appts as if they have been trained differently for Adm duties only. They too undergo similar trg and courses as that mandatory for WOs. Infact they have more service and maturity to handle Comd appts because of better EQ and empathy to men. Why then they are unfit for Comd and are employed only on Staff, ERE or Regtl appts?_*

*_5. The course profile of Gentlemen Offrs vis a vis WOs of same batch on comparison reveals that some of the WOs were at the bottom rung in career courses and are now being allotted Comd Criteria appts whereas Gentlemen offrs even with Staff Course Qualifications are superseded due to limited vacancies. There is no comparison on account of CRs too. The cutoff CR gradings of Gentlemen offrs and WOs of same batch is poles apart and Gentlemen offrs with CR gradings close to SB3 cutoff are being appointed for mundane appts like NCC, MCO, Est Offr, Camp Comdts, Edn Offr, etc whereas with lower merit on courses and CR, WOs are being given Comd criteria appts, which will have serious manifestations on the trg and operational preparedness of units and the personnel. Why MS branch has dubious standards and what is the compulsion for making such hasty decisions which will kill the essence of meritocracy in Army? It is further learnt that with one or two AE reports in next year or two, these same WOs will be eligible for screening by SB2 too. And due to the specifically allotted vacancies, they will surely pick up Brig’s rank too._*

*_6. All Gentlemen offrs of similar batches have more wide and prosperous experience of comdg troops as most of the WOs every year have been availing full quota of leave along with Maternity Leaves, Child Care Leaves, Furlough, absenting themselves on some pretext or the other from maximum trg exs and operational discussions. Barring few, all WOs with nearly an average 20 yrs service, none has leave accumulated as an average Gentlemen offr would have. This itself is a testimony of commitment to the appts held by them in past. The staff experience of WOs is equally affected. Also, nearly all of them have availed the MS branch magnanimous clause of Compassionate Postings (even multiple times) on various pretext which if checked deliberately will embarrass the biard of offrs who recommended their CG postings and extant welfare bd @SB-3. Spouse coord postings are as such being made regularly without exceptions to suit their personal requirements only rather than in organisational interests._*

*_7. Most of the WOs being considered for Comd have already achieved the age of 46 years and as per age criteria not fit to be placed as COs of units. Why are exceptions or waivers being given on issues which have direct repercussions on the basic thread and ethos of Unit Comd._*

*_8. Also, some of these WOs are long term LMCs and balance are having severe Obesity, Medical, Surgical, Gynae issues which they have been successfully hiding till now. No SRMB has been done for the WOs, whereas LMC Gentlemen offrs of batches screened after 2012 are suffering the wrath of such boards. To an extent approx 15 offrs of 2003 batch having been declared B FIT in SB3 were not even found Fit even for Staff/ERE/Instructional appts, leave aside Comd Criteria appts. 14 have got redress through AFT recently and one still remains a approved cum superseded Lt Col for posterity. It is requested that all approved WOs must go through Special Medical exam and only those declared Fit for Comd appts be appointed on such appts._*

*_9. In the pretext of honouring the one sided non holistic directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court, MS branch is compromising on various extant rules and provns laid down after years of experience and on ground implementation. The basic philosophy of HR management for offrs is under threat and likely to have negative results in near future itself. So many policies, titles, regulations have been ignored to suit the reqmts of WOs. MS branch must inform all offrs about these exceptions, policy changes etc soon less the case becomes a never ending law suits_*.

*_10. At one end govt is taking plea of meritocracy for Agniveer recruitment and at this end it is nearly distributing freebies to the WOs as if they were BPL citizens._*

*_11. Hence, why is MS branch compulsorily giving Comd criteria appts to these early WO batches with limited comd and staff experience, below merit overall performance, limited physical service, and lower physical standarss ? Also, if they have gone through separate and special SB3, then why can’t MS branch have separate employment options and rules for these batches – they be employed in Staff, ERE and Instructional appts. The short cut to success method adopted by bunch of compromised quality WOs and MS branch to save it’s own skin in front of Supreme Court is likely to affect the morale, motivation and professional environment of one of the most professional Armies in the world soon. There is an urgent and inescapable need to stop this unthoughtful act of disservice to the nation and Army as an organisation._*

*_It is once again reiterated that no one is against equality on any account, but giving equal opportunity to ineligible or compulsorily made eligible candidates, that too at the cost of better qualified and eligible superseded offrs, is organised betrayal to the military service, organisation and nation. Further WOs of 2008 onward batches should be considered for Comd appts as they will face same SB3._*

Requests and Regards from,
All Superseeded Lt Cols of IA