CISF: 4 women officers serving as IGs, a pivotal shift toward gender equality

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is marking a historic moment for women empowerment within its ranks, with four serving women officers holding the position of Inspector General (IG) level, which is for the first time in the force’s history.

This means that women officers comprise 50 per cent of the IG-rank amongst the cadre officers, underscoring a pivotal shift towards gender equality in the CAPF’s leadership.

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The milestone is part of a broader, concerted effort by the CISF to promote women and foster an inclusive environment.

With over 12,510 women personnel, approximately 8 per cent of the force’s total strength, the CISF boasts the largest composition of women amongst all the Central Armed Police Forces.

Further bolstering its commitment, the Ministry of Home Affairs (in Jan 2025) had approved the establishment of the CISF’s first-ever all-women battalion in Haryana’s Nuh.

This unit is envisioned to inspire more young women to join the force, and will undergo specialized training to become an elite battalion capable of diverse roles, including VIP security and duties at airports and also the Delhi Metro.

To enhance work-life balance, particularly for women managing families, the CISF’s new posting policy (issued in Dec 2024) offers special preference for women and couple cases.

After six years of non-choice postings, women personnel will now have choice postings for their remaining service. The policy also facilitates married working couples to be stationed in the same location, aiming to create a more resilient force.

In another progressive move, a special women’s desk is being established at the force headquarters, which is going to specifically address issues and grievances faced by women personnel, ensuring a more prioritized and human-centric approach to their concerns.

Recent recruitment drives (in June 2025) also highlight the CISF’s commitment to gender balance, and as part of its largest-ever sports recruitment drive, 229 women sportspersons will be recruited alongside 204 men across 29 disciplines.

After the completion of this recruitment campaign, the total number of the force’s sports teams will rise from the current 26 to 60 (31 teams of men and 29 teams of women), promoting gender balance.