Medical standards for entry into the Indian Air Force (IAF) as commissioned officers are predominantly the same for women candidates as that for males. The initial medical examination for such candidates is carried out at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) and Air Force Central Medical Establishment (AFCME). There has been no study on the causes of rejection of women candidates during their initial medical examination. This study was therefore carried out to analyze the initial medical examination of women candidates conducted at IAM. Medical records maintained at the Medical Evaluation Centre at the Institute were accessed to get the details of medical examination of women candidates from the year 1997to 2005. A total of 331 candidates (245 for ground duty and 86 for aircrew duty) underwent their initial medical examination at IAM during this period. An overall rejection rate of 55% for aircrew and 30% for ground duty candidates was observed. Differences were observed, both in the percentage of rejections and disabilities between aircrew and ground crew. While anthropometric incompatibilities like substandard leg length was the major cause of rejection among aircrew candidates, obesity and refractive errors were the major cause of rejection among ground crew candidates.
Conclusion
While ophthalmic disabilities and obesity were the leading causes for unfitness among ground duty applicants, substandard anthropometric measurements and obesity were responsible for the highest rejections among aircrew applicants. No significant trend or pattern was noticed in the disabilities causing unfitness over the period of this study.
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