A contingent of 789 women constables passed out of the Central Industrial Security Force's (CISF) Regional Training Centre (RTC), Arakkonam, on Sunday, January 28, after 39 weeks of training. Earlier, on December 29, the first battalion of 779 women trainees passed out. Attending the passing-out parade, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said "For the first time I have witnessed the largest contingent of women forces passing out. I have been attending passing-out parades of various Central forces in the last four years. This is by far the largest ever women contingent passing out." Pointing out that the CISF had more women when compared to the other paramilitary forces, he said the Force's initiative was a great step towards gender justice. CISF Additional Director-General Alok Kumar Pateria said 2017 was marked as the Year of Training, and about 18,000 constable trainees, including 1,600 women constables, were recruited. Apart from physical training, women constables had been trained in handling and firing of weapons. They were taught indoor subjects such as industrial security, aviation security, VIP security, human rights, terrorism, insurgency, and Naxalism. Special attention was given to the improvement of their soft skills to keep in line with CISF's fundamental principle - Polite but firm on duty, a press release said. Rijiju handed over prizes to trainees who had excelled in various fields - Indoor Best to Sajni, Firing Best to Lakkhi Shaw and Outdoor Best and All Round Best to Bandana Kumari. The women constables performed daredevil acts such as rappelling demonstration and aerial yoga. V. Khamo, deputy inspector general/principal of RTC, Arakkonam, was present.