Prodded by the Supreme Court, the Union home ministry has directed all six central armed police forces (CAPFs) to conduct a comprehensive review of their Group A cadre officers — from assistant commandants to inspectors-general — and submit detailed proposals within a month.
The comprehensive cadre review will address stagnation, reduce IPS deputation at senior levels (IG rank) and ensure CAPF officers get the benefits of Organised Group ‘A’ Services (OGAS).
In an order dated December 26, the home ministry has asked the chiefs of the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and the Assam Rifles to submit the proposals which will be examined in accordance with the prescribed guidelines.
In May, the Supreme Court had ruled that Group A officers of the CAPF from batches dating back to 1986 were recognised as “Organised Services” for “all purposes”.
The order said the deputation posts of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers in the senior administrative grade (SAG) or up to the rank of the IG in the CAPFs should be “progressively reduced within an outer limit of two years”.
The apex court order came on petitions filed by Group A officers of various CAPFs seeking cadre review and restructuring and amendment of recruitment rules to eliminate IPS deputation.
The home ministry had filed a review petition against the ruling, but the apex court in October dismissed it and directed the Centre to reduce the number of IPS officers serving on deputation in the CAPFs and implement these reforms to enhance force capacity and officer morale.
Reacting to the latest home ministry’s order, a senior BSF official said: “This has been our long demand. The cadre review of Group A officers will reduce the deputation of IPS officers to senior-level posts in the CAPFs, opening more senior roles for CAPF cadre officers. It will create a robust internal promotion system, reducing dependence on deputation and ensuring that the CAPF officers have progressive career paths up to the highest ranks.”
A CRPF officer said the cadre review would reduce IPS deputation and facilitate greater participation of CAPF officers in decision-making within their organisations, ensuring institutional parity and boosting morale across the forces.
The Supreme Court in its ruling had said: “Keeping in mind the twin objectives of service mobility of the cadre officers of CAPF... removing stagnation on the one hand and the operational/functional requirement of the forces on the other hand, we are of the view that the number of posts earmarked for deputation in the cadres of the CAPFs up to the level of Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) should be progressively reduced over a period of time, say within an outer limit of two years.”