Over 11,000 women will soon be recruited in central security forces for combat duties such as border guarding and law and order assignments.

The government has already set in motion its plan to hire 8,533 women constables in paramilitary forces such as CRPF, BSF, CISF and ITBP.

Also, sanctions have been granted by the Union Home Ministry for raising 2,772 women personnel in the Sashastra Seema Bal by 2017.

“The recruitments are being done to take the representation of women in central forces to at least 5 per cent of the total strength in the coming days. At present, women constitute about 2.15 per cent of the total strength of these forces,” a senior officer said.

A special sanction has also been accorded to the CRPF to raise two exclusive women battalions within its establishment to bolster the strength of the existing three such units.

“The CRPF has tasked its women units with rendering extensive law and order duties apart from their recent and small-scale induction in anti-Naxal operations theatre in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. They are also being increasingly deployed for static guard duties and escorting pilgrims of Mansarovar and Amarnath yatras,” the officer said.

Three-tier exam

The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) will hold a three-tier examination for these posts with the stages being physical tests, written efficiency and medical tests.

Candidates, who have passed Class X and are between 18-23 years of age, are eligible to apply for these posts.

The expected salary for those hired would be around Rs 20,200 apart from other benefits that the government extends to the Central Armed Police Forces.