New Delhi, August 24: In a landmark step towards gender inclusion in India's security forces, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is introducing its first all-women commando team for frontline operations. The initiative aims to enhance women's representation in critical security roles and marks a significant move towards gender parity within the force.
The women commandos are undergoing an intensive eight-week training programme at the CISF Regional Training Centre (RTC) in Barwaha, Madhya Pradesh. The first batch, comprising 30 women currently deployed at various airports, began training on August 11. The course, scheduled to conclude on October 4, 2025, prepares participants for Quick Reaction Teams (QRT) and Special Task Force (STF) assignments at high-security installations.
The training includes advanced physical conditioning, weapons handling, live-fire drills under stress, rappelling, forest survival techniques, and a rigorous 48-hour exercise to evaluate decision-making and teamwork under extreme conditions. A second batch will undergo similar training from October 6 to November 29, 2025.
“At least 100 women from different Aviation Security Groups (ASGs) and sensitive CISF units will be trained in the initial phase. Such courses will now be a regular part of our training calendar,” said Saroj Bhupendra, CISF Public Relations Officer. “This initiative not only strengthens our operational capability but also reinforces our commitment to gender equality in security operations.”
Currently, women constitute 8% of the CISF workforce, with 12,491 personnel in service. The force plans to increase this to 10%, in line with the Ministry of Home Affairs' target, by recruiting an additional 2,400 women in 2026.
