Career in CAPF

Ranjan K Baruah *

Many young people want to join defence forces and serve the nation. Though many will apply and appear in selection test only limited numbers will be able to join the defence forces.

Apart from defence forces there are also opportunities in CAPF which means Central Armed Police Forces. Well, there are many CAPF and we shall mention about them in today’s column. If we count all the CAPF then this is one of the largest forces in entire world and aspirants may join these forces in different capacities.

Eligibility and selection criteria are also different for different posts like Assistant Commandant or Sub Inspectors or constables. In simple there are entry as officers or constables and others. Advertisements related to vacancies are published in all leading newspapers. Aspirants may follow the employment news for advertisement from time to time. Now, let us know few CAPF which includes BSF, CISF, SSB, CRPF, NSG, ITBP, etc.

BSF: The Border Security Force (BSF) is a Border Guarding Force of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is a paramilitary force charged with guarding India’s land border during peace time and preventing transnational crime. It is a Union Government Agency under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs. It currently stands as the world’s largest border guarding force.

CISF: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) came into existence in 1969 with a modest beginning, having three battalions, to provide integrated security cover to the Public Sector Undertakings which, in those years, occupied the commanding heights of the economy.

In a span of four decades, the Force has grown several folds to reach one lakh forty eight thousand and three hundred seventy one personnel today. CISF is currently providing security cover to nuclear installations, space establishments, airports, seaports, power plants, sensitive Government buildings and ever heritage monuments.

CRPF: The Central Reserve Police Force came into existence as Crown Representative’s Police on 27th July 1939. It became the Central Reserve Police Force on enactment of the CRPF Act on 28th December 1949. It has completed 80 years of glorious history.

The Force has grown into a big organization with 246 Bns, (including 208 executive Bns, 6 Mahila Bns, 15 RAF Bns, 10 CoBRA Bns, 5 Signal Bns and 1 Special Duty Group, 1 Parliament Duty Group), 43 Group Centres, 20 Training Institutions, 3 CWS, 7 AWS, 3 SWS, 4 Composite Hospitals of 100 bed and 17 Composite Hospitals of 50 bed.

ITBP: Indo Tibetan Border Police Force was raised on 24 Oct, 1962. Presently, ITBP is deployed on border guarding duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh covering 3488 km of Indo-China Border and manning Border Outposts on altitudes ranging from 9000’ to 18700’ in the Western, Middle and Eastern sectors of the Indo-China Border.

SSB: Sashastra Seema Bal is mainly deputed in Indo –Nepal and Indo Bhutan border. SSB was declared as a Border Guarding Force in 15th January, 2001 under the Ministry of Home Affairs and renamed as “Sashastra Seema Bal” on 15th December, 2003.

On 19 June, 2001 SSB was given the mandate to guard the Indo-Nepal Border (1751 Kms.) and was declared the Lead Intelligence Agency for that area. The added responsibility of guarding Indo - Bhutan Border was given to SSB on 12th March, 2004 along with being declared the Lead Intelligence Agency for that border. Erstwhile its name was Special Service Bureau.

I have directly taken inputs from the official websites of the above forces and aspirants may visit the official websites for further details. However we shall also publish more details about career options in these forces in our forthcoming editions.

I would appeal and request our young aspirants not to fall in the prey of few brokers or individuals who might promise them jobs in these forces.