Tiger in lamb clothing – that is what Indian MCPs ( Male Chauvenist Pigs ) are - and they are in plenty in this blessed country
Many of my male friends and male relatives are MCPs of varying degrees. These include those who are henpecked. Only in their case they make all out efforts to conceal from their better haves their attitude on the matter. But as the saying goes ‘scratch a skin and there is the jew.’ If questioned most of them would vehemently deny their chauvenistic attitude saying ‘ I am not. For instance, I love and respect my mother and wife.’ That itself gives away what is underneath. If your look is indicating scepticism, then they will add ‘ I even worship goddesses.’ On the other hand I am not only for equality of men and women on all matters, but I plainly worship / love woman-folk, irrespective of their ages, colour, status, size, looks, girth, irrationality,etc., These thoughts ocurred to me when I read the news item, as below:
“The Government of India, after review, decided not to give permanent commission to women in the Armed forces.”
Facts:
· In India presently women can serve as officers in the Army only for 14 years, the exception being those who are working as doctors and nurses who could work till the reirement age for all army personnel and they are eligible for promotion as male officers. A few of the women officers have reached the ranks of Colonel / Brigedier and one of Major General
· In 1990 Iundia started recruiting women officers to the army.
· However, women officers are not allowed to join ‘ combat arms’ like infantry and armoured corps in the army. In the

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Air Force women officers cannot fly fighter jets and in Navy they cannot serve in warships and submarines.
· According to a study conducted by the army, permanent commission could not be granted to women officers since they have neither been trained for command nor given the responsibility so far. Further they have to be excluded from induction in close combat arms, where chances of physical contact with enemy are high.
Historical / world position
· For over 4000 years women have fought alongwith men in wars, though quite often the number of women soldiers was negligible.
· 8 lakh women soldiers served USSR Army during World War II and many served on the front lines.
· Although women are recruited to serve in the military in most countries, only a few countries permit women to fill active combat roles. Countries that allow this include Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway and Switzerland. Other nations allow female soldiers to serve in certain Combat Arms positions, such as, Israel and Great Britain, which allow women to serve in Artillery roles, while still excluding them from units with a dedicated Infantry role. The US allows women in most combat flying positions.
Pros & Cons
Several points of argument have been put forward by those in favor of women serving in combat conditions as well as those against the idea. Many of these arguments are focused on the physical differences between men and women, but also on
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differing mentalities, and the effects upon one sex by the presence of the other on the battlefield. Since very few countries employ a fully integrated military, there are few references able to prove or disprove the arguments below.
Physical Concerns
One of the most obvious concerns regarding women in combat situations is the fact that, on average, female soldiers do not possess as much physical strength as their male counterparts and this may put them at a disadvantage when fighting males. The female skeletal system is also less dense, and more prone to breakages. There is also concern that, in aviation, the female body is not as adept at handling the increased g-forces experienced by combat pilots. Furthermore, health issues regarding women currently prevent the vast majority of submarine services from accepting women, as is explained in more depth below. The Center for Military Readiness stated that “Female soldiers who are, on average, shorter and smaller than men, with 45-50% less upper body strength and 25-30% less aerobic capacity, which is essential for endurance”
Psychological Concerns
The disruption of a combat units esprit de corps is cited as another reason for women to be banned from front-line combat situations. Indeed, many soldiers have stated that they could not trust a woman to perform her duties in a place where trusting your fellow soldier would be exceedingly critical, although the example demonstrated women were quite effective in direct combat. There is a secondary concern that romantic relationships between men and women on the front lines could disrupt a unit's fighting capability and a fear that a high number of women would
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deliberately become pregnant in order to escape combat duties. Another argument against the inclusion of women in combat units is that placing women in combat where they are at risk of being captured and tortured (and possibly sexually assaulted) is unacceptable. In report prepared in USA it was found that male POWs, while being subject to physical abuse, were never subject to sexual abuse, and women were almost always subject to sexual abuse.. In general, it can be stated that volunteer soldiers are expected to have accepted the risk of such treatment when enlisting regardless of gender.
Many also argue that by not incorporating women into combat, we are not tapping into another source of soldiers for military combat operations. These sources claim that we are creating a military that treats our women as second-class citizens and not equals of men. Other sources expound on the extra recourses fact, and state that without women, the military would have numerous manpower shortfalls they would not be able to fill.
Sex Discrimination and Tradition
Many view the exclusion of women from military combat jobs as the last bastion of sex discrimination. Some believe that women are forbidden to serve in these roles only as a result of the traditionalist view of soldiering as a profession for men and that the equal opportunity laws should apply to the military. Many point out that there are many historical examples of women achieving much on the battlefield in combat roles.
Tactical Concerns
In On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman briefly mentions that female
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soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces have been officially prohibited from serving in close combat military operations since 1948 (in 2001, subsequent to publication, women began serving in IDF combat units on an experimental basis). The reason for removing female soldiers from the front lines is no reflection of the performance of female soldiers, but that of the enraged male infantryman after witnessing a woman wounded. The IDF saw a complete loss of control over soldiers who apparently experienced an uncontrollable, protective, instinctual aggression which could have resulted in a massacre.