The Union Home Ministry has accorded sanction for upgradation of over 25,000 posts of Constables of CRPF and BSF to the rank of head Constables in order to stem the lack of promotional avenues to the jawans.
The move will be a big morale booster for the Constables who otherwise were being promoted to the rank of head Constables after 20 years of service. Following the decision for upgradation of the posts, about 14,000 Constables in Central Reserve Police Force and over 11,500 in Border Security Force will be promoted to the rank of head Constables.
One post of constable in each of the 220 battalions of CRPF and 183 battalions of BSF have been upgraded as head Constables. A total of 11,529 Constables in BSF and 13,860 in CRPF will now be promoted to the level of head Constables.
The Union Home Ministry decision to grant the sanction for upgradation of these posts has also been vetted by the Department of Expenditure under the Finance Ministry.
The upgraded posts will carry usual pay scales and allowances as applicable to the ranks. The expenditure on account of these promotions will be met from the sanctioned Budget Grant of BSF/CRPF.
The level of stagnation on the post of Constables can be gauged from the fact that 1994-batch Constables in CRPF are being promoted now. A similar situation is prevailing in the BSF.
Officials said the stagnation has resulted due to the scrapping of the posts of lance Nayak and Nayak in between the posts of Constables and Head Constables. Besides, these two paramilitary forces have also been facilitating direct entry of head Constables. The Constables keep on doing the sentry duty for years together which even the new recruits for the post do and thus, are hardly able to develop any leadership qualities.
“The ad hoc upgradation of the post of Constables to head Constables is a one- time measure and suffices the promotional requirement for the time being. But stagnation will start again after two-three years. The solution lies in the introduction of the posts of lance Nayak and Nayak,” the official added.