Do you know there is a provision of age relaxation for divorced women to join govt? 7 key provisions for women

Cleopatra: A painting by IAS Subhra Saxena

NO WOMAN officer has become a cabinet secretary or home secretary in the last 67 years of India's Independence. But, do you know women are officially encouraged to join the government service? Or, do you know about the provision for age relaxation for appointment in government service for women judicially separated from husbands and not re-married? If you don’t, here are 7 points below:
1. Publicity to encourage women to join government service is being given, according to the recommendations of the 62nd department related Parliamentary Standing Committee.
2. There is a provision for age relaxation for appointment in government service for widows, divorced women and women judicially separated from husbands and not re-married up to 35 years for posts of Group C filled through Staff Selection Commission or Employment Exchange. In case of SC and ST, the age limit is up to 40 years.
3. Women are provided some special facilities such as maternity leave, child care leave, child adoption leave, special allowance to women with disability and provision of crèche facility.
4. There is a provision of posting of husband and wife at the same station.
5. Special priority is given to women officers in allotment of residential accommodation.
6. There is a special dispensation for woman officers of All India Services of North East cadre.
7. And there is a provision of change of cadre in case of marriage of All India Service officer and exemption from payment of fee for examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission and Staff Selection Commission.
(Source: Personnel minister and MoS in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh in Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question by TK Rangarajan and Ms Gundu Sudharani on August 14, 2014)