BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MILITARY NURSING SERVICE

The Nursing Services in the Indian Army finds its origins from the Army Nursing Service established in the year 1888. Over the 127 years of its existence the Nursing Services had gone through many changes. One such marked change occurred during the Second World War in 1943, when the Indian Military Nursing Service (IMNS) was constituted by the Indian Military Nursing Ordinance, 1943 from the existing Nursing Services of the Indian Army. The other major change occurred in the 1950s, after the Country became a republic; when the IMNS was named to Military Nursing Service (MNS) and made a part of the regular Army.

The Nursing Services of the Army has many firsts to its claim: This was the only element of the Indian Army in which women were allowed to join till 1956. The first women commissioned officer to reach every rank till the Major General was from the MNS. The first ever Indian Woman to win a medal in an International Shooting event was by an officer of the MNS in the Common Wealth Games 2006. The only face of the Indian Army women in every UN Missions or mercy missions abroad till the recent times was from the MNS. All these were not without sacrifices; the only women of the Indian Army ever died in any battle field were from the Nursing Services. According to the historical records around 350 Indian Army Nurses either died or taken prisoner or missing in action during the World Wars. On a single day on 14 February 1942, fifteen IMNS Nurses died in the sinking of ‘SS Kuala’ by the Japanese dive bombers of the Coast of Pom Pong Island. They are the only women of the Indian Army who ever served in any combat zone.

The women officers serving in the MNS are the most combat exposed women in Indian Army. They have served through two World Wars and also were in the fringes of the battle fields in the five major bloody wars we have fought after independence. The MNS officers are still caring for the sick and wounded soldiers in the terrorist torn North and North East to the field area bunkers just a stone’s throw away from the international borders. The MNS officers, over the years, served with our combat forces in UN Missions at Korea, Gaza, Vietnam, Somalia, Rwanda, Angola, Ethiopia, Sudan, Lebanon, Cambodia, and Sierra Leone etc. and with IPKF in Sri Lanka, also in war ravaged Afghanistan, earth quake struck Nepal etc.

The IMNS on the commencement of the Army Act, 1950 was named to MNS, and made part of the regular Army. Their ranks were redesignated in conformity with the status of the officers of the regular Army. The women officers serving in the MNS are subject only to the Army Act, 1950 and the Rules made thereunder. The Indian Military Nursing Service Ordinance, 1943 does not apply to the officers in the MNS, as the 'IMNS' and 'MNS' are two separate legal entities. The IMNS cease to exist in the Army from the commencement of the Army Act, 1950; though the Ordinance is still in force by virtue of being a permanent Ordinance. As the members of the 'IMNS' were made part of a separate legal entity forming part of the regular Army named the ‘MNS’ from the commencement of the Army Act, 1950.

The women were gradually admitted in other arms and services, starting with the medical branch. Since 1991 women were inducted in branches other than the Medical Services in the commissioned officer ranks. However with the awareness about the women serving in the armed forces of other countries, and also the changes in socio-economic conditions after 1943, the Government of India no longer felt the need to modify the provisions of the Army Act, 1950, for application to the women officers.