Over 84,000 vacancies to be filled in CAPFs and Assam Rifles: Govt tell Rajya Sabha

To fill up the vacancies expeditiously in CAPFs and AR, minister also said that the cut-off marks for shortlisting candidates for constable and GD has been lowered, the Government told Rajya Sabha.

The MoS clarified that as many as 67,345 candidates between April 2023 and February 2024 have been recruited and 64,091 vacancies have been notified and are at different stages of recruitment (Express image/ representative)

The Centre on Friday said that the number of vacancies in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles (AR) is 84,106 against a total sanctioned strength of 10,45,751. This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai in a written reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha. The number of vacancies is as of July 1, 2024.

Clarifying that as many as 67,345 candidates between April 2023 and February 2024 have been recruited and 64,091 vacancies have been notified and are at different stages of recruitment, Rai said that the Ministry has been taking and will continue to take steps to fill up the vacancies expeditiously through UPSC, SSC and the forces concerned.

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The minister also replied to the query on what measures are taken by the government to ensure swift filling up of the vacancies. He said: “Yearly recruitment for the post of constable (general duty) has been signed with Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and for coordinating recruitment to the 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 long term basis.”

Directions are also issued to all the Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles to undertake recruitment against vacant posts in the non-general duty cadres in a time-bound manner and timely conducting meetings of the departmental promotion committee (DPC) for filling up of promotional vacancies, the minister added saying that the time taken in the medical examination has been reduced to expedite the recruitment.

To fill up the vacancies expeditiously in CAPFs and AR, minister also said that the cut-off marks for shortlisting candidates for constable and GD has been lowered in order to get sufficient candidates (especially in categories where shortfalls have been observed).

“A decision has been taken to reserve 10% of vacancies for ex-Agniveers in the recruitment to the post of Constable (General Duty)/ Rifleman in the Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles. Further, a provision has been made for relaxation in upper age limit and exemption from the Physical Efficiency Test,” he replied.