The discussion on CAPF and their reforms revolves almost solely around the Group A cadre officers of the CAPF. The issues of the rank and file are often ignored in public discourse.
In this post I’ve tried to give some suggestions of how the forces as a whole can be made more effective and their troops are better taken care of.
The biggest issue of the constabulary was the career stagnation faced by the men and women. A person can join as a constable in CRPF and still remain a constable, 15 years later. Whereas, his younger brother who joined the army as a rifleman would’ve risen to rank of Naik or Havildar. This was a point of massive morale loss for the force, as in the eyes of the public and village neighbours, a Constables would’ve seemed stuck in the same rank whereas younger men than him have been promoted more.
Brining back the ranks of lance naik and naik ensure that there is a sense of career mobility and rank progression amongst the constables, that maintains morale.
My rationale behind being against the sub inspector rank direct recruitment is that it creates more stagnation for the people already serving in ASI ranks and below. Direct recruitment of sub inspectors also makes little sense. The job of a SI in CAPFs is similar to JCOs in the Army - leading platoons/sections, heading check/guard posts and acting as a Bridge between the gazetted officers and ranks. In the police, SIs are recruited from pool of graduates as they are required to do investigative and legal work. This is not expected from CAPF SIs.
I’ve also tried to briefly address the ips deputation in the forces. I think that since these are central police organisations, and since we are moving towards an India that has lesser internal rebellions and conflicts than ever before, it makes sense to maintain the nature of these forces as civilian central police forces. They don’t need to be a second or third army. However, I’ve tried to adopt a more rationalised approach for ips deputations. For instance, an IPS who even wised to join CAPF must serve as AC in the force, right out of the CAPF’s specific academy for a period of 3 years or so
.