A hurriedly ordered move by the CRPF to put in place a common dress code for officers and jawans has led to resentment among the officers of the force.
In a recent order issued on Wednesday, Inspector General Rakesh Kumar Yadav has directed a uniform dress code for physical training and games for Gazzetted officers, subordinate officers and junior officers and the constables.
For ranks of the Force, the dress code for physical training and sports will be black shorts, blue round neck T Shirt for summer. For women personnel, blue track pant and blue round neck T shirt will be applicable for summer.
Likewise, for winters, the dress code will be blue track suit, blue cap covering head and ears in case of extreme cold will be allowed. Also, blue jackets and wind cheaters will be required for extreme cold. Fabric will be of polyester/cotton as suitable to local weather conditions and shoes will be of sports variety with any variation of blue or black colour.
Earlier, for Gazetted officers, the dress code was white shorts and shirt with sleeves rolled up and white T shirt with white canvas shoes and white socks.
For subordinate officers, it was white shorts twill ( half sleeves), white canvas shoes and white socks.
For other ranks, it was regimental mufti for games and athletics, white pant, shirt of white colour and canvas shoes.
On ground, they were supposed to wear khakhi pants or shorts and white T shirt and cotton vest.
As per the CRPF uniform rules, any officer (including the IPS officers) while being on deputation to CRPF cannot wear the IPS insignia as shoulder badges as part of the rank badges. As per the rules, this is required to distinguish themselves as member of the CRPF.
However IPS officers on deputation to CRPF have never followed this neither in letter nor in spirit. Not wearing CRPF insignia on shoulder badges and caps is also in contravention of the Central Govternment decisions/instructions issued in connection with IPS uniform rules 1954 that mandate wearing the same uniform as that to be worn by cadre officers of CRPF while they are on to the deputation to the paramilitary.
“The guiding philosophy behind any uniform rules prescribed for any Armed or Paramilitary Forces is that irrespective of his parent services, all the members by their appearances should look like and distinguish themselves as member of the Force in which they are a member wether permanent or temporary. Instead of following the laid down uniform rules, the IPS lobby in the CRPF is tweaking the uniform rules of CRPF which is likely to lead to indiscipline in the ranks,” a senior cadre official said.
