No rank discrimination in maternity, adoption leaves in armed forces: MoD

New Delhi, 05 November (IANS) Now there will be no rank discrimination in the maternity leave in armed forces. Women soldiers, sailors and air warriors will get equal Maternity, Child Care and Child Adoption Leaves that a officer is entitle.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal for extension of the rules for Maternity, Child Care and Child Adoption Leaves for women in the Armed Forces at par with their officer counterparts, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on Sunday.

Accorrding to MoD, with the issuing of the rules, the grant of such leaves to all women in the military, whether one is an officer or any other rank, will be equally applicable.

"The decision is in line with the Defence Minister’s vision of inclusive participation of all women in the Armed Forces, irrespective of their ranks. The extension of leave rules will go a long way in dealing with women-specific family and social issues relevant to the Armed Forces," the MoD official said.

MoD said that this measure is going to improve the work conditions of women in the military and aid them to balance the spheres of professional and family life in a better manner.

MoD said that from being operationally deployed in Siachen, the highest battlefield in the world, to being posted on warships as well as dominating the skies, Indian women are now breaking barriers in almost every field in the Armed Forces. 

In 2019, a significant milestone was achieved through recruitment of women in the Indian Army as soldiers in the Corps of Military Police.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has always been of the view that women should be at par with their male counterparts in every field, the official added.