The paramilitary forces are facing a shortage of 83,000 of gazetted officers (GOs) and personnel in the country’s Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the country's largest paramilitary force, is facing a shortage of 29,283 personnel, the Border Security Force (BSF) is facing a shortage of 19,987, and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is facing a shortage of 19,475 personnel. Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha Wednesday the total number of posts vacant in CAPFs and Assam Rifles is 83,127 against the total sanctioned strength of 10,15,237 until January 1, 2023. Sharing the force-wise break-up, Rai said CRPF is facing a shortage of 29,283. “Of 29,283, there is a shortage of 278 GOs, 9,687 shortage of subordinate officers (SOs), and 19,318 shortage of other ranks (ORs). Of the 19,987 shortage in BSF, there is a shortage of 464 GOs, 1314 shortage of SOs and 18,209 of ORs. While in CISF, which is facing a shortage of 19,475, there is a shortage of 493 GOs, 7196 SOs and 11,786 ORs,” the minister said. “The Sashastra Seema Bal is facing a shortage of 8,273. Of 8,273, 522 GOs, 1,137 are SOs and 6,614 are SOs. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police is facing a shortage of 4,443. Of 4,443, 322 are GOs, 1,114 are SOs and 3,007 are ORs. There is a shortage of 1,666 in Assam Rifles – 44 GOs, 33 SOs and 1,589 are ORs,” Rai said. The minister also informed the Rajya Sabha that recruitment is being undertaken in mission mode to fill up these vacancies and it is planned to complete it in 2023. “It may also be mentioned that 32,181 persons between July 2022 to January 2023 have been recruited. Further, 64,444 vacancies have been notified and are at different stages of recruitment,” he added. On Tuesday, Rai had informed the Lok Sabha that a decision had been taken to reserve 10 per cent of vacancies for ex- Agniveers in the recruitment to the post of constable (General Duty)/rifleman in CAPFs and AR. Also, a provision has been made for relaxation in the upper age limit and exemption from the Physical Efficiency Test. Rai had also informed the house about some of the steps taken by the Central Government to fill up the vacancies expeditiously in CAPFs & AR. “Some of the steps are – time taken in the Medical Examination has been reduced to expedite the recruitment, cut off marks for shortlisting of candidates for Constable/GD has been lowered in order to get sufficient candidates (especially in categories where shortfalls have been observed),” Rai had said. “Yearly recruitment for the post of Constable (General Duty) for which a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed with Staff Selection Commission (SSC), for coordinating recruitment to General Duty posts, a Nodal Force each for recruitment in the rank of Constable (General Duty), Sub-Inspector (GD) and Assistant Commandant (General Duty) has been nominated on a long term basis, directions issued to all CAPFs & AR to undertake recruitment against vacant posts in Non-General Duty cadres in a time-bound manner, timely conducting a meeting of Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) for filling up of promotional vacancies,” he had said.
