IDENTIFYING THE REAL PROBLEMS: PAY ATTENTION TO FORCE

 

Sh Prakash Singh Ex DG Border Security Force in his article “Don’t neglect the force” aptly brings out, that all is not well with the Central Armed Police Forces. He elaborates that the Government of India has been increasing their manpower, giving them better equipment and resources and augmenting annual budgets, but certain vital aspects of CAPF functioning have not received the government’s adequate attention, and this is harming  discipline, morale and combat-potential. He flags three issues. First concerns selection of leaders for the top-level posts in CAPFs and adhocism in the process, second the delay in posting successor to the top posts after retirement of incumbent and third complete and continuous deployment, thereby affecting training. He suggests generic solutions and criteria for selection to top posts instead of being specific.

Government needs to lay down strict specific policy guidelines for deputation of IPS officers to CAPFs to maintain professional standards in these forces. There should be zero tolerance policy towards dilution of laid down guidelines since dilution amounts to compromising professional standards. Firstly, induct only IPS officers as DIG who have commanded state armed police battalions for two years continuously as SSP. Secondly, only consider those IPS officers who complete a minimum field stint of two years as sector / operational range commander  in a particular CAPF as DIG,  for elevation as Inspector General. Only consider Inspector General with minimum tenure of two years in CAPF in command as eligible for appointment as Director General in that CAPF.  Lastly, to not consider staff appointments as eligibility for holding command posts of Inspector General and Director General. Even for cadre officers ,do not consider staff tenure as eligibility for promotion from commandant to DIG and DIG to IG. Those who do not command a sector/operational range  ,do not consider them for promotion to Inspector General.This will enhance professionalism at the top and ensure better operational and administrative management of CAPFs.

 In case not all this is acceptable, do away with individual recruitment of officers in CAPFs and create a separate joint cadre of CAPFs to be trained at National Police Academy Hyderabad and allotted to respective CAPFs as per merit and choice with inter CAPF transfer liability as per laid down policy guidelines. In the interim, follow strict and specific induction rules for deputation.

No doubt, delay in filling top-level posts plays negatively with   rank & file,  adversely affects morale. It strengthens  perception that adhocism is acceptable in management of CAPFs. However, in addition to issues flagged by Honourable Ex DG, there are multiple vital issues, which negatively affect discipline, morale and combat potential, which require immediate attention of Ministry of Home Affairs. These if not addressed will cause further slide in discipline, morale and combat potential. The first is human resource development in CAPFs. Human resource development needs more focussed attention for addressing issues of stagnation, improved compensatory financial upgradations for stagnation and human development index in terms of infrastructural amenities for bettering operational environment and enhancing efficiency. Stagnation in CAPFs is very acute for officers and men. In some of the CAPFs, constable picks up the rank of head constable after putting in 18-21 years’ service. Similar pattern with reduced periodicity continues up the ladder. The situation for officers is no better. It takes about 10-13 years to pick up the rank of Deputy Commandant and equal number of years to pick up the rank of Second in Command. Situation is no better in the higher rungs of the ladder. In one of the CAPF, officers of 1997 batch are still 2ICs after putting in 26 years of service and of 2004 batch Deputy Commandants after putting in 20 years of service. There is no denying the fact that life in CAPFs is undeniably arduous for all ranks especially for personnel below officer rank (PBOR). The multifarious workload, coupled with harsh and difficult work environment and limited time for personal obligations, training, and rest, invariably leads to immense stress. Stagnation further compounds stress, manifesting in indiscipline, increased voluntary retirements, resignations, suicides and fratricides. As per information provided by Sh Nitya Nand Rai Minister of state for Home affairs, 46930 personnel took voluntary retirement from CAPFs between 2019 and 2023 with BSF witnessing biggest exodus with 21860 personnel.

The second aspect, which requires immediate attention, is the need for qualitative command and leadership for effective man management. Man management, the   function of command and leadership has not received due attention in terms of reducing stress, stagnation and training of men. Affirmative action on all these fronts contribute to a sense of pride in organisation, enhance  self-respect and dignity strengthening  discipline, individual work  and group efficiency leading to enhancement of combat potential. Qualitative command and leadership structure can only be maintained if there is no tinkering with rank structure. Tinkering dilutes value of rank and professionalism

Third aspect, which is very important, requiring immediate attention, is maintenance of hierarchical chain and channel of command structure. There is need for higher and top level leadership to discourage violation of channel and chain of command. Such violations dilute the command authority of executive leadership who have difficult task of commanding troops in field and ensuring operational and administrative effectiveness. Higher leadership has multifarious channels to keep a tab on functioning of executive leadership. It can always interfere for course correction in case there are serious aberrations by executive leadership in ensuring impartial and fair administration.

 Ministry of Home Affairs needs to accept that leadership in CAPFs needs qualitative improvement. It needs to emphasise  leadership principles  of know  men, know yourself, know   job ,train men, set an example, make sound and timely decisions, seek and accept responsibility for  successful  management of CAPFs. Unless basics are revisited, functional efficiency will dilute and stagnate further eroding discipline, morale and combat potential. Qualitative leadership development is must in forces to automatically strengthen grievance redressal mechanism, thus reducing stress and improving organisational efficiency.

Another aspect requiring urgent attention is restoring balance between main executive cadre and supporting cadres of CAPFs in terms of promotions. Unfortunately, combat cadre in CAPFs have acute stagnation vis-à-vis supporting cadres that need to be sympathetically looked into by government to maintain balance for efficient functioning.

  Sh Prakash Singh only flagged   issues  concerning  selection process and delay in filling  top leadership slots. They certain play with morale, however, there is also imperative  urgent requirement to take care of the roots of foundational structure of CAPFs i.e. the other ranks, junior and middle level leadership who are the building blocks of these forces.