The Union Home Ministry has directed all the paramilitary forces that for every promotion to the next level, mandatory field service of two/three years would be preconditioned and relaxation can be granted only by the ministry on a case to case basis.
The guidelines for objective waiver/relaxation in the eligibility condition regarding “mandatory field service” as prescribed in the Recruitment Rules for promotions were formulated by the Ministry in 2012.
The guidelines further provide that cases of CAPF (Central Armed Police Force) personnel who have not completed the MFS owing to their own request for being posted in static posting/offices where service rendered is not counted as MFS or where the personnel have expressed unwillingness for posting to field units, are not be considered for relaxation.
Further, while posting such CAPFs personnel to the static postings, the personnel are to be informed about the consequences that their tenure will not be counted towards MFS and no representation will be entertained for claiming promotion to next rank in relation to prescribed MFS.
MFS is the operational and functional requirement of the Force personnel to hold higher responsibilities and thus has been prescribed as one of the eligibility conditions in the statutory Recruitment Rules before promotion to the next higher rank.
Any waiver/relaxation in the statutory requirement of MFS adversely affects the operational efficiency and functional effectiveness of CAPFs or the paramilitary forces. Moreover, any relaxation in the eligibility conditions prescribed in the RRs also requires approval of the Department of Personnel and Training.
“Therefore, the guidelines issued to DsG of CAPFs and ARs (Assam Rifles vide order dated 02.06.2012 for considering waiver/relaxation in the eligibility condition of MFS for promotion of personnel to the next rank, have been reviewed. It has now been decided that henceforth cases of all officials/officers of CAPFs and ARswho, on consideration by DsG of CAPFs and ARs in terms of guidelines…..are found to be eligible for waiver/relaxation in the MFS condition for promotion to the next rank, may be referred to this Ministry with justification/grounds for waiver/relaxation for seeking relaxation from DoPT to the statutory eligibility condition,” reads an order issued by the Home Ministry and circulated to all the paramilitary chiefs.
The move comes after several officers on deputation were availing promotion to the next level without fulfilling the prerequisite of completing field service in respective operational areas. The move is expected to help maintain the operational fitness of the personnel for taking higher responsibilities upon being promoted, officials added.