Amid changing security dynamic and enhanced threat from terrorism, the CRPF is in the process of reforming the organisational structure of the paramilitary on the lines of the Defence forces to inculcate cohesiveness and camaraderie in the ranks so as to maximise operational efficiency besides being optimally battle-prepared.
On the lines of the Defence forces, the young cadre officers of the CRPF would be required to spend one month, directly after passing out from the academy, with the men in their barracks so that they are able to understand each other.
“The Training Directorate of the CPRF is in the process of making guidelines for conduct of familiarisation training by the Directly Appointed Gazetted Officers (DAGOs) on joining their battalion on first posting after Passing Out Parade on the pattern of Army,” reads a communication from the Training Directorate to the CRPF Academy where the cadre officers are trained.
In Regimented Army Units like infantry, armoured units and artillery, the young officers in their first month of joining their units and barracks, use the same toilet, mess and same facilities are provided to the men. Each day, they perform duties of each rank right from Sepoy up to Senior JCOs (Junior Commissioned Officers).
After completion of one month, their written/practical test is conducted by the Unit Adjutant and Final interview is taken by Commandant. Only after their successful completion of one month familiarization training that their formal induction as an officer in the unit is done by dining in at the officers’ mess, according to the communication.
This training gives an officer practical experience and actual feel of each appointment from Sepoy to senior JCO. Also, his men come to know about the officers’ traits. This also develops cohesiveness and camaraderie, it said.
“It is proposed to implement similar familiarization training for DAGOs also,” reads the order through which the Training Directorate has sought comments from the CRPF academy to finalise the proposed guidelines.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) created through an Act of Parliament in 1949 is an armed force of the Union under the Union Home Ministry. However, the ethos and culture of CRPF got diluted in the last three decades due to excessive interaction with the civil administration and State authorities and continuous deployments in aid of the police, officials said.
Given the dynamic character of the evolving security scenario in the region, the CRPF being the lead Force under the Home Ministry, will have to cope with bigger challenges involving low intensity conflicts with high impact for which it needs to be better prepared, they said.
While the CPRF, officials said, had been successfully deployed in various international conflict theatres in the past like IPKF (1987-1989) in Sri Lanka along with the Army, in Ladakh in 1959 amid border row with China, and during 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars as the organizational of the paramilitary was then on the lines of an infantry battalion of the Army. The CRPF was also effectively deployed for unification of the princely states post-Independence, they said.
While the young officers in the CRPF lead the men from the front and spend days and nights in jungle operations in Naxal-hit States, taking LUP (Lying Up Position) and conducting long duration operations of over 72 hours, the latest move is expected to further streamline the system, they said.
While officials welcomed the move to inculcate camaraderie in the young officers in the rank of Assistant Commandant, they lamented their stagnation in the rank for 12 years without proper career progression due to the wrangling between cadre officers and deputationist officers from the Indian Police Service. The cadre officers are also not allowed to reach the top position of the Director General in the paramilitary forces.
