At that time, the prevailing view was that women should not be given either regular commission or combat roles. ``After a woman gets married and has children, the taxing schedule of the Army is a big strain on her,'' argues Pandit. ``It is a very good step to induct them into the Army because they are mentally alert and morally stronger, but in a physical combat situation, they cannot overcome hormones and biology.''

But once the Army has decided to take women in, you cannot have relaxed standards for them, can you? Pandit has a ready answer: ``If a woman is taking on a combat role, one cannot say she should not go to a hard field or not stay in a tent without a bathroom.''

Adds a serving officer on the condition of anonymity: ``Take the best, but take them into combat roles only if they meet the physical standards set for any soldier, male or female. Any relaxation in their training will not only set a bad precedent, but also mean the difference between life and death both for them and the men under their command.''

At CME's combat course, though, it is precisely this wall that is being broken.

Still, a number of junior male officers insist that female YOs are treated with kidgloves - they are not given the ragda, which is said to be the grooming ground of every officer. ``It is not unusual to see them taking liberties with the dress code, reporting for PT with T-shirts hanging out, sleeves rolled up, or using slang in front of seniors, something that is unimaginable and strictly punishable in the case of a male officer,'' grumbles one of them, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Senior officers have been known to either indulge such behaviour, or cut out reprimands fearing they would be misunderstood or subjected to tears, which isn't unusual even in the Army. Interestingly, the quantum of punishment for the 106 YOs course has been scaled down, possibly out of concern for the physical capabilities of women.

All these arguments, however, don't wash with Major-General (Retd) Nirmal Ahuja, the Army's first woman doctor to earn her three stars. Women, she says, have a lot of tolerance and the ability to take cool-headed decisions, which make them perfect combat officers. No wonder she's all confidence when she says: ``With training, they can meet the same physical standards as the men, and I am sure the present batch will do well.''