New Delhi
In a historic step towards women’s empowerment, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has created its first-ever all-women commando unit, bringing women into frontline operational roles for the first time.
The training of women commandos has begun at the Regional Training Centre (RTC) in Barwaha, Madhya Pradesh. The eight-week advanced course will prepare them for duties in Quick Reaction Teams (QRT) and Special Task Force (STF) at high-security establishments. The programme includes physical and weapons training, live-fire drills under stress, obstacle courses, rappelling, survival skills in forests, and a 48-hour confidence-building exercise to test decision-making and teamwork in adverse conditions.
The first batch of 30 women personnel—currently deployed at airports—started training on August 11, 2025, and will complete it by October 4, 2025. A second batch will undergo training from October 6 to November 29, 2025. In its initial phase, at least 100 women from Aviation Security Groups (ASGs) and other sensitive CISF units will complete the program. After training, they will be deployed primarily at airports and later at other critical installations.
At present, CISF has 12,491 women personnel (8% of its total strength). To achieve the Ministry of Home Affairs’ target of 10% representation, 2,400 more women will be recruited in 2026, with recruitment structured in coming years to maintain this ratio.
This landmark initiative marks a major step toward gender parity in CISF, empowering women not only in numbers but also in crucial operational roles. With this, CISF is positioning itself as a leading force among all armed organizations in advancing women’s empowerment.
