Their work will include security at the border gates, frisking of women going across the fence and facilitating spectators at the retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border near Amritsar.

BSF spokesperson Jagir Singh said: 'If required their services will also be used on internal security duties and counter insurgency roles that are being performed by the BSF.'

Saturday's ceremony was also witnessed by the parents of the new troopers.

'I am feeling very happy and it is a great privilege that BSF invited us for this passing out parade. Now we want our daughter to become a senior officer in BSF,' Kulwant Singh, from Dhardeo village in Amritsar district, around 60 km from the Attari-Wagah border, said.

Nimal Kaur, from Tibri village in Punjab's border district of Gurdaspur, said: 'I am happy that my daughter has taken ahead the legacy of our family as my husband also retired from the BSF. Initially we had some reservations like how she would manage in this male dominated field but after seeing the atmosphere here I am feeling very relieved.'

While many of the new women troopers are from Punjab, those passing out Saturday included young women from West Bengal and Assam also.

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.