NEW DELHI: The country's paramilitary forces are facing an acute shortage of staff with more than 76,000 vacancies in country's Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). The country's largest paramilitary force Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which has a sanctioned strength of 3,24,093 personnel, has the maximum vacancies with more than 22,000 posts waiting to be filled in. Following CRPF closely are the Border Security Force and the Sashastra Seema Bal which have 19,320 and 19,175 vacancies each as against their sanctioned strength of 2,63,931 and 99,212 personnel respectively.
The Indo-Tibetian Border Police (ITBP), which has a sanctioned strength of 89,438 personnel has 6,398 vacancies whereas the Central Industrial Security Force that is responsible for the safety of country's airports and important government buildings and monuments has 5,165 vacancies against its sanctioned strength of 1,55,254 personnel. Assam Rifles has the least number of vacancies with 3,774 posts waiting to be filled in. Assam Rifles have a sanctioned strength of 9,98,510 personnel.
The latest government data on the issue of vacancies in the CAPF was disclosed by Union Home Minister for State Hansraj Ganga Ram Ahir in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Responding to a written question, Ahir said, "Vacancies in CAPF arise and Assam Rifles arise due to retirement, resignation, death, new raisings/ creation of new posts etc. The vacancies in these forces are filled up by various modes such as recruitment, promotion and by deputation as per the extant provisions of Recruitment Rules."
The minister, however, said that the government has decided to recruit 54,953 jawans in armed police forces this year. The disclosure comes a day after the Staff Selection CommiSSC) also came out with an advertisement on filling up vacancies in the CAPFs and Central Police Organisations (CPOs).
Of the total 54,953 vacancies advertised by SSC, the maximum is for CRPF, at 21,566 posts. A senior Home Ministry official said, "CAPFs and Central Police Organisations (CPOs) are set for further expansion. New battalions would be raised and hence, these new vacancies have been advertised by the government after sanction from the Union home ministry," Applicants in the age group of 18-23 years and who have completed class 10 successfully, with a few exceptions and reservations, can apply for these posts.
A total of 47,307 vacancies are for men and 7,646 are for women in the constable (general duty) cadre in the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF, SSB and Assam Rifles.