Sanjiv Krishan Sood joined the Border Security Force (BSF) as Assistant Commandant and went on to be its Additional Director General – a rare achievement most CAPF cadre officers can’t even dream of. Sood has served on India’s borders with both Pakistan and Bangladesh, and spent close to eight years on the Line of Control (LC) as well as the sensitive Samba Sector of Jammu & Kashmir. He has authored a book, “Border Security Force: The Eyes and Ears of India,” and is considered an authority on national security and border management. But despite reaching such heights, he remains humble and grounded and has bult a reputation as a reliable and trustworthy leader. Excerpts from an exclusive two part interview with NEERAJ MAHAJAN
How would you describe your journey and experiences from Assistant Commandant to ADG, BSF?
I have had a very fulfilling journey over 38 years of my service. I have faced several challenges in my Career including posting to infiltration and trans-border firing prone Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir first as a young Company Commander and then later as a Second –in – command of a unit. The deployment along LC being under Army Operations Control of Army had its own operational and logistic challenges. I with support of my superiors was able to overcome these challenges and ensured proper coordination with Army authorities.
I commanded a unit in highly sensitive Samba area of Jammu sector where we maintained round the clock vigil along the border. We were able to neutralise several trans-border criminals and seize large amonts of drugs and arms and ammunition from them. My unit was proactive in lighting up the entire stretch of border by using improvised methods and own resources.
Later I took my unit to Bongaigaon in Assam where our task involved dominating the area infested with ULFA militants operating from their bases in Bhutan. Later my unit went to Churachandpur in Manipur where it succeeded in eliminating one Prepak militant and recovering large cache of arms and ammunition besides lot of Cannabis (Ganja) which was being processed to extract Heroin. Three of my soldiers were awarded Gallantry medals for their valour and quick response in eliminating the Prepak Militant.
I have also had a brief tenure in the SPG where the Special Task force of BSF — of which I was a part when it took part in Operation Blue Star – formed the nucleus of the elite organisation specially raised after the assassination of Indira Gandhi for protecting the Prime Minister, former Prime Minister and their immediate family members.
I have had four tenures at different training Centres – declared as centres of excellence- by the Government – two of which Commanded. I was involved in assessing the training needs of BSF personnel of different ranks besides for the trainees of foreign countries. I utilised my ground experience to overhaul the training modules and methodology at Tactical Wing of BSF Academy where I was involved with training of Indian and foreign officers. Later at Subsidiary Training Centre, Churachandpur and Training Centre and School, Hazaribag where most of the trainees were from subordinate cadres and other SF of India I proactively ensured enhanced quality of training and better trainer- trainee ratio from within the resources of the centres.
Subsequently, I served as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and Staff officer to IG Tripura where I was responsible for advising him on all operational matters to supervise the operations by units and sectors under our command.
Later as Inspector general I commanded North Bengal Frontier for over three years and ensured that the commanders and troops under my command maintained high morale and carried out their duties with dedication.
I was promoted to the Rank of Additional DG for a brief while before retiring in April 2015. My last posting was Additional DG (Logistics) at Force Headquarters, New Delhi.
I have always ensured that I have a happy team working for me. I have encouraged discussions and debate before a decision is taken at the same time insisting that once the decision is taken it is implemented with full vigour.
It must have been a very different experience for you to reach the level of ADG in BSF which is the highest post a BSF cadre officer can even dream of.
After joining the service in 1977, we learnt that there was hardly any scope for promotion beyond the rank of Commandant and one would have retired by the age of 55 yrs. The things changed gradually, and I could think of retiring after attaining the rank of IG for a brief while after the report of the pay Commission in 1995. The age of retirement was also raised to 60. Afteer the 2005 pay commission I imagined that I could become Addl DG for over one year with two posts of that rank being reserved for Cadre Officer.
However, the machinations of the bureaucracy led to only one post of Addl DG for Cadre officers. As I result I could only aspire for just three months tenure in this rank. However, this too was curtailed due to umpteen delays in DPCs and reluctance of the leaders of our force to forward my name. This was more so because I was perceived as anti IPS because I had filed a case challenging the recruitment rules that prevented Cadre officers from large percentage of posts at the level of DIG. IG and Addl DG, besides putting a total embargo on their promotion to the rank of Special DG and DG.
Why BSF should always be commanded by an IPS officer who descends from the top – without any knowledge about the formations area of responsibility as well as strengths, and weaknesses of the men he is going to command? Are IPS officers more qualified to blindly manage men and material, better than regular BSF officers?
The rules of Recruitment have been framed in such a manner that no cadre officer can rise beyond the level of Addl DG in his/her own force. They provide for only IPS officers manning the post of DG and Special DG.
The IPS officers are totally ill equipped to handle the affairs of a regimented force like the BSF. Each IPS officer coming from a different state cadre has his own ideas and tries to initiate the practices prevalent in his/her state cadre. This leaves the junior officers confused. Orders like no firing on trans-border criminals, celebrating “year of the Jawan” and creating infrastructure on BOPs without providing for funds emanate from such ignorance. One DG and his number two from IPS aggressively pushed for dismemberment of the identity of Battalion which is the basic war fighting unit.
As a junior officer I used to think that the IPS officers had better vision and strategic thinking, However, having worked with them at higher supervisory levels I found them totally lacking in these qualities. I found that leave aside a few honourable exceptions most of them were keen to come to BSF because of the vast resources available at their disposal. Many of these IPS officers prefer to come to centre in order to escape the problems they face in their State Cadres. Some others come because of lure of a posting in their home state or at Delhi. They certainly are not better equipped than a cadre officer both intellectually and operationally.
BSF today guards about 9062 km of land border with Pakistan (3,323 km), and Bangladesh (4,096 km). How has the BSF’s role evolved over the years, especially with increasing use of AI, high-tech gadgets for jamming, counter-jamming of communication, and drones which have made border security much more complicated and challenging than ever before?
BSF’s role is to guard the Indo– Pak and Indo– Bangladesh Border. There have been proposals in the past to introduce BSF along Myanmar border but nothing has come out of these proposals. In so far as technology is concerned, most of the technology presently in use is second and third generation Night Vision devices, hand held thermal imagers and the like. Trial for Comprehensive Integrated Border Management Systems (CIBMS) are on at two patches along Jammu Sector and one large patch in the riverine border in Brahamaputra area. Work is on to induct more such systems along the entire border. However, cost is a constraint and indigenisation is being attempted to address this challenge.
Also Read: “I am not a troublemaker, I am a trouble-shooter”- J K Khanna, IPS
A few active and passive anti drone technologies have been acquired and more such are planned to be procured and deployed in due course. Hopefully induction of these technologies will enhance vigil and address the issue of high levels of workload and resultant stress on Jawans. However, the organisation will have to ensure that the supply chain and after sales maintenance agreements are robust in order to facilitate quick turn over after repairs. The organisation will also have to ensure that the Jawans are given proper training to handle these equipment for them to be used effectively.
People who join a uniform force invariably do so because of the salary, or rank – don’t you think you have been denied both? How does this affect the career aspirations of young officers in BSF who know they will never be No1 or get to lead the organisation even after shedding sweat and blood for 30-35 years?
I agree with the statement to a large extent. The BSF officers are at the receiving end of Government policy in this regard. They suffer from double jeopardy.
The pyramidal structure of BSF and very few vacancies at higher levels deprive them of timely promotion. Secondly, a large portion of vacancies at higher levels are reserved for IPS officers. This further curtails their avenues.
The situation is so bad that an Assistant Commandant is now taking anything from 12 to 15 years to get his first promotion, wheras the minimum qualifying service required is only 6 years. In fact, if the officers continue to get timely promotion, they would be eligible for promotion to the rank of Commandant in 16 years. However, at present they are taking anything upward of thirty years to attain that rank. The situation is so bad that even if all the top level vacancies are opened up and made available to the cadre officers, all of them may not reach the higher levels. However, it will open up some more avenues and lead to better career prospects.
Another reason behind this fiasco is faulty personnel planning by the IPS leadership who mostly mark their time without giving proper attention to long term view of issues. The intake of officers has been irregular and has been widely varying from year to year. Intake of almost 300 officers in one go for continuously three years in the first decade of this century is having a catastrophic impact on the careers of young officers. The cadre reviews mandated to be held after every five years is rarely held regularly. Even when held regularly, they end up being an exercise to postpone stagnation to a higher rank without correlating with the functional requirements of the organisation.
The BSF officers also are being discriminated with regard to the Pay and allowances. In-spite of a favourable Court rulings the benefits of the ‘Non Functional Financial Upgradation’ (NFFU) are not being made available to the Cadre officers. This is a scheme brought about by the Government in pursuance to the recommendations of the Pay Commission of 2005. The scheme aims to address the issue of stagnation among various services due to lack of vacancies. The scheme envisages granting financial upgradation to officers of such Cadres to the level granted to their IAS counterpart two years junior to them. The benefit of this scheme has been granted to all services except the five CPMF viz. BSF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB, CISF. Resultantly, the cadre officers had to approach the Courts by filing contempt petitions. These have been heard and order is awaited. If the order comes in favour of cadre officers at least the grievance of pay and perks will be addressed appropriately.
How does the fact that DG-level posts are reserved only for IPS officers affect the morale, motivation and efficiency of BSF officers?
The cadre is restive and that is the reason for so much of litigation for NFFU, Cadre review and every small little matter because the IPS leadership isn’t willing to listen. I remember, the DGs even in recent times not addressing even minor concerns and telling point blank that get a court order. It is high time that expertise and experience of Cadre officers should be utilised at higher policy making levels. Significantly a parliamentary committee headed by P Chidambaram has recommended that Cadre officers should be considered for the post of Director General.
What do you think about having more than one DG to accommodate people with more or less the same seniority, as well as pay and allowances in the same organisation? Does this mean inviting trouble as they are always at loggerheads to decide – who is the one who gives order and who follows them?
I do not recommend that there should be more than one DG. As rightly said it will create a turf war and problem for the subordinates and adversely affect the operational efficiency of the force. There should be clear cut hierarchy of decision making channels.
The BSF officers know the terrain and people living near the border and how to control smuggling, while IPS officers know how to do crowd control and criminal investigation. How do the BSF and IPS officers who are like two poles of the same magnet manage to overcome this gap?
Your statement is absolutely correct. The IPS officers do not know the nuances of effective border guarding. That is why they do not come on deputation at operational levels. They come at supervisory levels and manage a posting either at Headquarter or less troublesome area. The Unit Commander and below who are the cutting edge operational commanders are always BSF Cadre officers. The lack of experience and non-comprehension of the border realities is what makes them issue orders like no firing or keeping the fence gate open at all times, or ordering a court of enquiry each time a fence breach (even if only on one side) takes place. Besides the ill-considered orders, they are not amenable to reasoning when explained thus resulting in lots of unnecessary inquiries and wastage of time and resources.
The CAPFs has been demanding Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU) benefits, which have been granted to 55 other services but not to the 5 CAPFs. Why is this so?
As I said earlier. The IPS leadership has in fact played truant in this regard. They fear that the cadre officers will be out of their control if the NFFU is granted to the Cadre officers. That is why they gave a wrong picture to the Government resulting in only partial implementation of Court orders.
How does the absence of NFFU affect the morale and career progression of BSF officers compared to other central services?
It has adversely impacted the morale of Cadre officers as I said earlier because they are faced by double jeopardy
In your opinion, what steps can be taken to address these disparities and ensure fair recognition of BSF personnel’s contributions?
Leadership must pass on to the cadre officers who are now fairly large numbers and well versed in the task that they perform. The cadre officers will be more effective at policy making levels as they are well versed with the nitty grity of border guarding and personal management issue of troops.
The benefit of classic NFFU awarded to other services should also be implemented for the BSF Cadre officers. This will address the issue of pay and perks, even though the promotions as in other services cannot be ensured due to the pyramidal structure of the force.
Intake at the entry levels needs to be rationalised to ensure proper ratio of higher level vacancies. This step is needed for all levels of entry whether Officers, Subordinate Officers or Jawans so that aspirations of all ranks are fairly met without compromising their operational efficiency.
(To be continued)
