Ironically whenever the police is not able to control a law and order problem the central armed police forces (CAPFs), are called to bring the situation under control. Invariably in most such situations the officers leading from front are Assistant Commandants, Deputy Commandants, 2nd in Command or Commandants at the most, depending on the gravity of the situation. The DIG, IGs, Additional Director Generals and Director Generals are almost always monitoring the situation from their air-conditioned offices.
Yet when it comes to heading the CAPF namely the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Assam Rifles, or National Security Guard (NSG) the top level posts are reserved exclusively for the Indian Police Service (IPS).
This is one of the main reasons why the around nine lakh odd CAPF personnel are a dejected, disillusioned and demoralized lot today. The biggest problem of course is slow promotion and resultant stagnation in almost all central armed police forces.
Technically an Assistant Commandant is expected to be promoted as Deputy Commandant in 4-6 years. The Deputy Commandant is expected to make it as 2nd in Command in 6-10 years. 2nd in Command to Commandant after 12-14 years of service. Commandant is to be promoted as DIG in 16-20 years. The DIGs are expected to be promoted as Inspector General in 20-23 years and Inspector Generals are expected to be promoted to Director Generals in 25-30 years, which is the last posting.
All this is only on paper as it takes anywhere between 9-10 years for promotion from Assistant Commandant (AC) to Deputy Commandant (DC). The promotion process in the CAPFs is so slow that except for a few lucky ones most officers retire after just 1 -2 promotions in their career and wearing the same ranks for 10-15 years. As far as the lower ranks are concerned most constables never go beyond the NCO level. A few years back the post of Assistant Sub Inspector was created to accommodate the bulging baggage of head-constables. But it turned out to just eye-wash as except for the one star on their shoulder, there is no difference. The ASI continue to draw almost the same salary and perform almost the same duties that they once used to as head constables.
The situation is particularly bad in BSF followed by CRPF and ITBP. On the whole the promotion avenues in CAPFs are worse than other Group A organized services.
This is largely because promotions in CAPFs are vacancy based. More vacancies on top means more chance of promotion even down below and lesser chances of stagnation.
In last cadre review, 200 vacancies Deputy Commandants in CRPF were reduced and many top posts were created for IPS. The result was slower promotion in the subsequent batches of CRPF cadre Assistant Commandants.
Also since promotions in CAPFs are based on seniority, if the number of people eligible for promotion in a particular batch are more it mean slower promotions in future batches.
This apart officers in CAPFs expected to have a clean service record and need to attend relevant training courses to be eligible for promotion to the next higher level. Still many CAPF officers who meet this criteria are waiting to be promoted to the next higher rank.
Significantly the Supreme Court of India bench of Justices Rohinton Fali Nariman and M. R. Shah, granted Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU) accorded Organized Group ‘A’ Services (OGAS) to the CAPF on 5 February 2019. This was also ratified by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which extended the benefit of Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU) and Non-Functional Selection Grade (NFSG) to the CAPF cadre officers.
The implied letter and spirit of the move was to benefit to some 12,000 odd Group A level officers in the CAPFs and bring them at par with the others central services. The CAPF officers were assured of promotion to the next higher rank after 4th, 9th and 13th year of service.
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As a result officers who were otherwise eligible for promotion but could not make it for want of vacancies or any other were offered salary and other financial benefits availed by the next higher rank.
Significantly the 6th Pay Commission had recommended NFFU to all Group “A” Officers in Organized Group “A” services. It was submitted that the purpose of granting NFFU was to give relief to Group “A” Officers facing the problem of stagnation as a fall-back option when regular promotions do not come due to various factors. It was submitted that, therefore, the benefit of NFFU should be given to organization/cadres facing the problem of acute stagnation.
Oddly the government took the plea in the Supreme Court that the role of 6th Pay Commission is only recommendatory and it does not grant an organization the status of an organized or non-organized service and only the DoPT, as the nodal agency had the right to define the status of a service under a particular group.
Ironically even five years after the Supreme Court verdict and approval by the Union Cabinet in 2019 the CAPFs are still to get the benefit Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU) and Non-Functional Selection Grade (NFSG) because this requires changes to be made in their service rules. Even five years after the government officially announced the decision to allow NFFU and NFSG in Organized Group “A” services the service and promotion rules have not been amended.
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They are also yet to receive all the benefits of the Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme given to the other Central Group “A” Civil Services recommended by the 4th Pay Commission.
The net result is that there are nearly 85,000 vacant posts in the CAPFs but not many people who are interested to join because of the “inhospitable” working conditions, limited scope for promotions, and sagging morale.
