New Delhi: The number of women aspiring to join the Indian Air Force (IAF) has shot up tremendously.
"We have received a whopping number of applications from women candidates for the training course beginning July 2006," says Wing Commander Ashim Kapoor, Joint Director, Disha, the publicity cell of the IAF.
Kapoor informs that of the daily 78,000 hits their website, about 50 per cent are from women. This clearly shows their interest in IAF and "how they can fly the aircrafts".
To qualify for a post of a flying officer, women in the age category of 19-23, with a graduation degree in any discipline (engineers included) with Physics and Maths at the senior secondary school level can apply.
Unlike the men who have to take the Combined Defence Services Exam before they undergo a mandatory six-day selection schedule, women are called directly to appear for the Pilot Aptitude Battery Test.
Once they clear this, they go through a personality test, comprising of written psychology tests conducted both indoors and outdoors. An interview and conference with a complete medical check up for successful candidates follow later.
The changing Indian social scenario encourages greater participation by women in the work force. And Disha has been instrumental in spreading awareness about the IAF as a career for both men and women.
"Our effort is to reach out to masses, the young generation in particular who are in that important stage of their lives, where they have to make a career choice. We are a beacon spreading IAF for youth," says Kapoor.
Disha, active since 2003, is expanding its focus from targeting schools and premier educational institutions only in the national capital region to the rural belt of the country. The publicity and educational cells under the seven commands of IAF also distribute publicity material.
"Disha is not to indoctrinate them but to tell the young of ways to get into the IAF. Career counseling at Disha also includes 'generalized tips' on model papers in personality tests and probable questions in the interview and conference," Kapoor adds.
Flying may be the ultimate experience but the IAF also offers a variety of other career options. People ranging from law degree holders to MSc (Electronics) to MSc (Computers) to MCA's and CA's can be a part of the IAF in its Technical and Operation Support branch like administration, logistics, accounts and meteorology.
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