Though they are well trained in using all the sophisticated weapons and depending on the circumstances, BSF can use their services,' Singh added.

Talking about the safety concerns of women officials during their posting in remote border areas, Singh said: 'Right now, there are no woman officers but we have kept every concern of the girls' security and well-being in mind.'

Separate quarters have been built to provide them good accommodation. Most of these quarters were already complete and BSF has made alternate arrangements at places where construction is not yet complete, pointed out Singh.

The majority of the new women troopers are from Punjab and some from West Bengal and Assam.

They completed 38 weeks of hard training before taking up their assignment on the international border.

Among the new recruits, 14 are postgraduates, 22 graduates and 128 studied up to Class 12. The recruits include 25 sportswomen and 11 National Cadet Corps (NCC) volunteers.

While the women troopers will guard BOPs by turns, they will be assigned internal security and counter insurgency duties also, the DIG said.

The BSF was last year sanctioned nearly 700 posts for recruiting women constables for guarding international borders. Nearly 8,500 applications were received for these posts.

-Indo-Asian News Service

as/js/pg