Alleging that women personnel in the Indian Air Force are facing ?gender discrimination?, the CPI(M) on Tuesday demanded defence minister AK Antony to take necessary measures to grant permanent employment to women officers on completion of short service commission (SSC).

?It appears that the IAF has taken a view that there is no necessity for granting permanent employment to SSC officers. This is in contradiction to earlier government orders that permanent commission would be offered to willing officers,? CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat said in a letter to Antony. ?This amended policy will mainly affect women officers during inducted during 2006 and 2007, since all male officers of corresponding SSC have already been considered for permanent commission,? the letter said. She added that even the pension regulations for the IAF ?may not be available to SSC women officers since they require a minimum service of 20 years.? There are about 750 women officers in IAF which constitute merely 7.1% of the officer cadre.

All SSC women officers are employed in support services, having no combat role in their day-to-day role. In IAF, no woman officer is employed to fly a fighter aircraft.

The combat services are not an issue,? she added.