Initiative to Bring Women into Frontline Operational Roles
In a landmark step towards strengthening women’s participation in core security operations, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has initiated the induction of its first-ever All-Women Commando Team.
Training for the unit has commenced at the Regional Training Centre (RTC), Barwaha, Madhya Pradesh, where selected women personnel are undergoing an intensive 8-week advanced commando course. The programme is designed to prepare them for deployment in Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) and Special Task Force (STF) units at high-security establishments and critical installations.
The rigorous training includes:
Physical fitness and weapons handling
Live-fire drills under stress conditions
Endurance-building exercises such as long-distance runs, obstacle courses, rappelling, and survival training in forests
A 48-hour confidence-building exercise to test decision-making and teamwork under adverse conditions
The first batch of 30 women commandos, drawn primarily from various airports, will complete their training from August 11 to October 4, 2025, followed by a second batch from October 6 to November 29, 2025. In the initial phase, at least 100 women from Aviation Security Groups (ASGs) and sensitive CISF units will be trained. The CISF plans to make such all-women courses a regular feature of its training calendar. Post-training, the commandos will be deployed primarily at airports, followed by other sensitive installations.
This initiative represents a significant move towards gender parity in frontline operational roles, an area that has historically been dominated by men.
At present, CISF has 12,491 women personnel (8% of its strength). The Force is committed to achieving the Ministry of Home Affairs’ target of 10% representation of women, with 2,400 additional recruits scheduled for 2026. Structured recruitment in the coming years will ensure that women consistently account for at least 10% of CISF’s total strength.
With this milestone, CISF is not only empowering women through greater inclusion but also setting a benchmark among armed forces by expanding their roles into operational domains.
Saroj Bhupendra Public Relation Officer, CISF informed on 24 August 2025
