New rules clear the way for first women firefighters in Telangana

The Telangana Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Department is set to recruit its first batch of women firefighters this year, marking a historic milestone for the State’s emergency services.

Officials told The Hindu that the department is awaiting a recruitment notification from the Telangana Police Recruitment Board, which will conduct the selection process. The procedure will mirror police recruitment and include a preliminary selection test, physical efficiency tests, a written exam, and verification of character and antecedents.

The selected candidates will undergo training at the Telangana Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Training Institute in Hyderabad before being posted. Fire Fighter recruits will undergo four months of training, while Station Fire Officer trainees will receive seven months of training.

The recruitment follows the Government Order issued on July 11, 2025, introducing the Telangana Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Subordinate Service Rules, 2025, which formally opened the department’s operational posts, including Station Fire Officer and Fire Fighter, to women for the first time.

Firefighters in action during a major fire on Road No. 36 in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad.
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Officials said the department is hopeful that the large-scale recruitment drive announced by the State Director General of Police, which includes around 14,000 constable vacancies across uniformed services, could pave the way for the first batch of women firefighters in Telangana.

The new rules also introduce 33.33% reservation for women in direct recruitment to the posts of Station Fire Officer and Fire Fighter. The reservation will operate horizontally across all categories including Open Competition, Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Police personnel and firefighters during a cooling and rescue operation after a fire broke out in Nampally, Hyderabad.
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To facilitate the inclusion of women, the government has also replaced earlier designations such as ‘Fireman’ and ‘Leading Fireman’ with gender-neutral titles, including ‘Fire Fighter’ and ‘Leading Fire Fighter’.

Women applicants will have to meet the same eligibility criteria, physical standards and training requirements as other candidates.

For the entry-level Fire Fighter post, candidates must have passed the Intermediate exam or an equivalent qualification recognised by the State government. Applicants belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are given relaxation and must have passed the Secondary School Certificate exam while having studied Intermediate and appeared for the exams. For the Station Fire Officer post, candidates must possess a degree from a recognised university.

Firefighters battle a fire that broke out in Nampally in Hyderabad.
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The prescribed age limit for direct recruitment to the Fire Fighter post is 18 to 22 years, while candidates applying for the Station Fire Officer position must be between 21 and 25 years as on July 1 of the year of notification, subject to standard government relaxations.

The physical measurements and medical standards will follow the same benchmarks prescribed for stipendiary cadet trainee Sub-Inspectors and Police Constables in the Telangana Police Department.

Officials said the department will also need to upgrade infrastructure to accommodate women personnel for the first time. “With the first batch expected soon, we will have to make the necessary infrastructural changes to ensure adequate facilities including dedicated washrooms, rest rooms and other workplace arrangements for women firefighters,” the official said.