Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF): India
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
The armed forces of India are supported by three paramilitary forces
Assam Rifles,
Indian Coast Guard and
Special Frontier Force (SFF).
The Central Para-military Forces (CPMFs): India come under the Ministry of Defence.
The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF): India are
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) ,
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and
All these come under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Sometimes even leading publications confuse the two categories. News items and information given to the Parliament about CPMFs and CAPFs together have been put on the page Central Para-military Forces (CPMFs): India
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Martyr status
It was only in November 2015 that the Home Ministry gave approval to give the status of martyr to personnel from [CAPFs] who die in the line of duty.
Even the 7th Central Pay Commission batted for granting martyr status to personnel of [CAPFs], on the lines of armed forces.
In a recommendation to the government the commission said, "the Commission is of the view that in case of death in the line of duty, the force personnel of Central Armed Police Forces should be accorded martyr status, at par with the defence forces personnel".
The CAPFs
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
CISF's job is provide security to Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). Currently they provide security cover to 300 industrial units.
Even the currency note presses producing Indian currency are protected by CISF. It is the largest industrial security force in the world and has 165,000 personnel.
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
The CRPF looks after the internal security of every part of India.
Countering naxal operations, assisting the State and Union Territories in police operations to maintain law and order and helping with the UN peace-keeping missions also comes under CRPF's task list.
The CRPF guarded the India-Pakistan Border until 1965, after which the BSF was created. In 2001 Parliament attack too, it was the CRPF troops that killed the five terrorists who entered the premises.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
The ITBP was established after the 1962 Indo-China war, under the CRPF Act. It vigils the northern borders, detects and prevents every border violations and helps the locals feel secure.
The force also keeps a check on illegal immigration and trans-border smuggling. They guard the Indo-Tiber border and the mountainous regions of the Indo-China border.
The ITBP is also trained in disaster management and have been deployed in UN peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Haiti, Western Sahara, Sudan, and Afghanistan.
National Security Guard (NSG)
The formation of NSG was a consequence of the assassination of Indira Gandhi and Operation Blue Star. It was raised to combat terrorist activities and to ensure the states do not witness any internal disturbances.
They are often referred as Black Cats because of their uniform which consists of a black dress and black cat insignia.
Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)
Established in 1963, the SSB guard the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders.
It was only in 2014 that the government approved the recruitment of women as combat officers in SSB.
Formerly known as the Special Service Bureau, their job is to control anti-national activities and inculcate feelings of national belonging in the border population among others.
Recruitment norms
Height norms eased for Gorkhas, NE
November 30, 2018: The Times of India
The home ministry issued a note relaxing height norms for recruitment of male Gorkha and Scheduled Tribe candidates from the north-eastern states in the central armed police forces (CAPFs).
The home ministry said the decision had been made to maintain “uniformity in height norms of male Gorkhas and male Schedule Tribe candidates” from the north-east region. Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju tweeted, “With this relaxation, a large number of youths from the north-east and Gorkhas will be recruited in CAPFs.”
Voluntary retirements, resignations
2014-17
Prafulla Marpakwar, March 16, 2017: The Times of India
20,618 security personnel quit in 3 years
As many as 20,618 personnel of the central armed police forces (CAPF) have taken voluntary retirement or quit their jobs in the last three years, MoS for home Kiren Rijiju said in Parliament.
When Congress members Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia asked whether the government had conducted any study to ascertain the reason behind so many personnel opting for voluntary retirement or resigning, Rijiju replied in the negative. Nath and Scindia also sought information on whether the government had received complaints of inferior treatment of CAPF personnel and measures taken to improve their service conditions. Rijiju replied that all the forces had a robust grievance redressal mechanism, adding, “Improvement in service conditions is a continuous endeavour.“
=Women=
==2024: Tally of women in CAPFs up 172%==
As many as 4,138 women jawans are likely to be recruited in different CAPFs and Assam Rifles next year, adding to total female component in CAPFs that has grown by 172% in past 10 years, from 15,499 in 2014 to 42,190 in 2024, reports Bharti Jain. Junior home minister Nityanand Rai added representation of women in CAPFs and AR as on 30.09.2024 remains an abysmal 4.4% (42,190 women against total sanctioned strength at 10.5 lakh).
