The Union Home Ministry has directed the Central paramilitary forces to find out the actual reasons for "huge" stagnation of the constables and Subordinate Officers in their ranks and provide practical suggestions to remedy the same after reviewing the issue and consultations with a cross-section of the ranks.

Stagnation refers to actual time taken for next promotion in General Duty/operational cadre from Constable to Inspector.

As per the inputs received by the Ministry from the CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces or paramilitary forces) and AR (Assam Rifles), the time taken for next promotion in the GD cadre in the rank of Constable to Inspector is 13 to 22 years from Constable to Head Constable, six years to 12 years for being promoted from Head Constable to Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), six to 10 years from ASI to Sub-Inspector and five to 10 years from SI to Inspector.

While a Constable in the CRPF is promoted from Constable to Head Constable in 17 years, such promotion in BSF and Assam Rifles takes 21-22 years followed by 10 years in CISF, 13-14 years in ITBP and 13 years in SSB.

Likewise, the duration for promotion from Head Constable to ASI is six years in the case of CRPF, 11-12 years in BSF and ITBP, 10 years in SSB, 11 years in CISF and five to six years in Assam Rifles.

For a promotion from ASI to SI, it takes eight years in CRPF, nine to 10 years in BSF and ITBP and six years in SSB, CISF and Assam Rifles.

For being promoted from SI to Inspector, it takes nine years in CRPF followed by eight to nine years in BSF, six to seven years in ITBP, five years in SSB and Assam Rifles and 10 years in CISF.

“From the above, it is observed that, there is huge stagnation in Constable and Subordinate Officers level in the GD cadre of CAPFs and Assam Rifles. The actual reasons for such stagnation are required to plug the gaps,” reads an order of the Home Ministry.

“Competent Authority has desired to request that all CAPFs and AR (Assam Rifles) may kindly constitute a Committee to review the present status and to give practical suggestions to improve the situation,” the order underscored.

A report of the review exercise by the respective paramilitary forces and Assam Rifles is expected to be submitted by December  15.