CISF First All-Women Commando Unit

CISF First All-Women Commando Unit: Pioneering Gender Equality and Enhancing India’s Security Frontlines

In 2025, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) marked a historic milestone by launching its very first all-women commando unit, a pioneering initiative to integrate women into elite counter-terrorism and frontline security roles. This bold step reflects a broader government vision to enhance gender equality and operational excellence in one of India’s key central armed police forces.

Intensive Commando Training

The inaugural batch comprises 30 women personnel currently undergoing a rigorous eight-week advanced commando training at the CISF’s Regional Training Centre (RTC) in Barwaha, Madhya Pradesh. The training began in August 2025 and is structured to match the standards of India’s elite tactical units.

Key elements of the training include:

• Physical fitness and endurance development to ensure stamina and agility
• Weapons handling and live-fire drills under stress, preparing personnel for real-time operational scenarios
• Advanced rappelling, obstacle courses, and forest survival techniques, enhancing combat readiness in diverse environments
• A 48-hour intensive confidence-building exercise designed to test decision-making, crisis response, and teamwork under simulated hostile conditions

Such an exhaustive training programme prepares the women commandos to function seamlessly alongside their male counterparts in high-risk missions. Post-training, these women will be deployed in Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) and Special Task Forces (STFs), primarily safeguarding high-security installations such as civil airports, metro systems, and sensitive governmental and private sector sites.

Phased Implementation and Expansion

The first batch (August 11 to October 4, 2025) is followed by a second, larger batch of around 100 women starting October 6 and concluding by November 29, 2025. This phased rollout underscores the CISF’s intent to institutionalize all-women commando training programs regularly, signaling a long-term commitment to gender diversity in frontline security roles.

Strengthening Gender Representation

Currently, women constitute approximately 8% of CISF’s workforce (about 12,491 personnel). The Ministry of Home Affairs has set a target to increase women’s representation in CISF to at least 10% by 2026 with plans to recruit an additional 2,400 female personnel. The establishment of the all-women commando unit goes beyond symbolic representation. It genuinely empowers women to take on critical operational duties traditionally held by men, reflecting a strategic policy shift in India’s central armed forces.

Significance for National Security and Society

This initiative by CISF is significant not just from a gender perspective but also from a national security viewpoint:

• The inclusion of women in core operational roles enhances the tactical diversity and adaptability of security forces.
• Women commandos bring unique perspectives and strengths to handling sensitive and high-stress situations, making the security framework more robust.
• It serves as a powerful inspiration for young women across India, encouraging their participation in elite defense and security careers.

The CISF is also the first among India’s central armed police forces to launch an exclusively female commando wing, encouraging other forces to follow suit, thereby fostering nationwide gender inclusivity in critical security roles.

Importance for Competitive Exams

For aspirants of competitive exams such as UPSC, SSC, State PCS, and other government recruitment tests, this topic holds crucial relevance in the General Studies and Current Affairs sections. Understanding this development benefits exam candidates in multiple ways:

• It aligns with syllabus topics related to national security, internal defense, and government schemes on women empowerment.
• It covers recent policy changes and operational advancements in India’s paramilitary forces.
• It prepares candidates for potential analytical and essay questions focusing on gender equality and strategic security reforms.
• It enriches candidates’ knowledge base for interview and personality test rounds, where awareness of contemporary socio-political issues is vital.

In summa, the CISF’s all-women commando unit is not only a leap forward in operational readiness but also a significant theme in India’s evolving story of gender empowerment, making it essential study material for today’s exam aspirants.