CRPF mulls restoring Army ranks abolished 30 years ago; promotions, Agniveers in focus

New Delhi, CRPF, the country's largest paramilitary force, is mulling reintroducing the military ranks of lance naik and naik, 30 years after they were abolished, to address delayed promotions and accommodate Agniveers retiring from the Army, officials said on Saturday.

The Central Reserve Police Force headquarters has asked hundreds of field formations of the force across the country to conduct stakeholder meetings or 'Sainik Sammelans' and obtain the views of the personnel in this context in two days, they told PTI.

The lance naik and naik ranks were abolished in the force in 1997 and merged with the police ranks of constable and head constable through a Ministry of Home Affairs order.

The two ranks are still operational in the Army.

According to the hierarchy, a jawan who joins the force as a constable gains the first promotion of lance naik in five years, followed by the promotion to naik in 10 years and subsequently head constable in 20 years.

Currently, the about 3.25 lakh personnel-strong CRPF is facing acute stagnation in promotions in these ranks, as a constable gets his first promotion in 22-25 years on average.

This stagnation in one rank has led to grievances among the jawans.

The officials said the aim of reintroducing the lance naik and naik ranks is to provide two more promotions to the constabulary before they reach the head constable rank, which will not only help address their grievances but also boost their morale.

The move is also understood to be aimed at making the CRPF service attractive for the Agniveers from the Army, whose first batch will begin retiring later this year, and will be eligible to join the Central Armed Police Forces , including the CRPF, the officials said.

Agniveers are short-term military personnel recruited into the three forces for four years under the Centre's Agnipath scheme.

Currently, the CFs have an ad hoc arrangement of granting a non-sanctioned senior constable rank insignia on the uniform of constables, making them equivalent to the lance naik rank. There is no arrangement for the naik rank at present.

Ranbir Singh, Secretary General of the Ex-Paramilitary Personnel Association, said the proposed plan will only help the jawans if they get time-bound promotions, or else the exercise will prove futile.

A senior CRPF commandant said the re-introduction of the two Army ranks should "not just be a cosmetic move and should ensure that the discipline of the battalion is maintained".

The CRPF and the Border Security Force had these ranks on the lines of the Army's infantry battalions.

Currently, there are more than 20 subordinate officers in a battalion of more than 1,000 men and women, and hence such a policy move should keep in mind the regimentation and operational efficiency of a unit, the commandanrt said.

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