CAPF officers deserve fair career progression

ThE Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) — BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF and SSB — constitute the frontline of India's internal security architecture. Yet, over several decades, cadre officers of these forces have long faced denial of legitimate career progression, professional grooming and access to leadership pathways.Their marginalisation has been repeatedly highlighted by parliamentary committees, the Supreme Court and expert bodies. A major reason for this stagnation is the dominance of IAS and IPS officers in the Ministry of Home Affairs, at senior positions across the CAPFs and in key national security establishments.This dominance has ensured that decisions relating to promotions, cadre management, training and nominations for higher courses remain largely in the hands of officers who do not belong to the CAPF cadre.One of the most significant setbacks has been the denial of Organised Group A Service (OGAS) status. In 2019, while adjudicating a disciplinary case involving an ITBP officer, the SC observed that CAPF cadre officers must be given "a structured, time-bound and fair promotional system." DoPT guidelines clarify that "any Group 'A' service that fulfils functional characteristics and has a defined hierarchy should not be denied OGAS status." Yet OGAS has been persistently withheld — primarily because the power to approve or reject the proposal lies with a system dominated by IAS and IPS officers.Training and strategic grooming are essential for officers expected to lead large, complex security organisations. However, CAPF cadre officers rarely receive nominations for foreign courses or premier leadership programmes.The Standing Committee on Home Affairs (2021-22) criticised the disproportionate nomination of IPS officers for foreign courses at the expense of cadre officers, observing that deputationist officers, despite their short tenures, "monopolise" opportunities such as the National Defence College and international security programmes. Thus, CAPF officers are denied avenues for higher leadership development.Cadre officers are also provided with limited access to higher administrative roles. Crucial branches — personnel, intelligence, provisioning and operations planning — are indispensable for professional growth, yet cadre officers are often sidelined.The absence of such staff postings leads to cadre officers "lacking the administrative exposure expected at senior levels" — a deficiency then used as justification to appoint IPS officers at higher ranks. Thus emerges a vicious cycle.The CRPF Committee on Cadre Issues (2005) observed that IPS officers serve short tenures in CAPFs and fail to acquire "adequate understanding of force ethos." The Hota Committee on Civil Service Reforms (2004) recommended reducing long-term deputation dependency and strengthening departmental cadres. The 7th Pay Commission also acknowledged stagnation among CAPF officers due to limited promotional avenues and reliance on outsiders.Security forces require home-grown leadership that has matured through operational and administrative experience. The current model undermines that need. Reports from the BPR&D show that CAPF officers possess deep field experience in counter-insurgency, border management, intelligence-gathering and law-and-order situations, yet are frequently barred from key command tracks.Strategic continuity is compromised because deputationist IPS officers rotate rapidly. Projects lose momentum, reforms stagnate and organisational memory weakens.The way forward lies in the immediate grant of OGAS, a systematic reduction in deputation dependency and the framing of promotion and seniority rules for CAPFs as per DoPT guidelines and SC directions. Correcting these injustices is a matter of fairness; it is essential for national security, efficiency and the professional integrity of the CAPFs.

CAPF officers deserve fair career progression

Deputation dependency has created a vicious cycle of stagnation

JS Bhalla

CAPF officers deserve fair career progression

Deputation dependency has created a vicious cycle of stagnation

JS Bhalla

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