Amid the report that over 81,000 security personnel in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in the last 10 years opted for retirement and VRS, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the CAPFs and Assam Rifles to set up a committee to review the present status of the delay in promotion in the lower cadres and also directed them to submit reports in two months.

Taking cognizance of the fact that hundreds of the personnel have applied for compulsory retirement or VRS due to inordinate delay in promotion at the junior levels and other service conditions, the MHA also asked CAPFs for suggestions to improve the situation. The CAPFs such as the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, NSG, NDRF and SSB are under the direct control of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, but the Assam Rifles is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence.

According to the officials in the security forces it takes around 17 to 20 years for a constable to become a head constable (HC) while the delay is of six to 12 years for a head constable to become an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI).

Similarly, the waiting period for the promotion of an ASI to Sub-Inspector (SI) is between six to 10 years depending on the vacancies in each force.

According to official data, in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), a constable has to wait around 17 years to become HC, from HC to ASI six years, from ASI to SI eight years and SI to Inspector - nine years.In the Border Security Force (BSF), a constable waits around 21-22 years to become HC, from HC to ASI - 12 years, from ASI to SI - nine to 10 years and SI to Inspector eight to nine years.

Similarly, in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the delay in promotion of a constable to HC is 13 to 14 years, HC to ASI - 11 to 12 years, ASI to SI - nine to 10 years and SI to Inspector takes around six to seven years.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has the similar situation where a constable becomes HC in 18 years, HC to ASI in 11 years, ASI to SI six years and SI to Inspector in 10 years.

The situation in the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) is still better compared to other forces as a constable takes 13 years to become HC, from HC to ASI-10 years, from ASI to SI- six years and from SI to Inspector- five years.