46,000 CAPF personnel opted for early retirement over the past five years

In a recent update to Parliament on Wednesday, the government disclosed that more than 46,000 personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the Assam Rifles have opted for early retirement over the past five years, marking a significant trend.

The Border Security Force (BSF), a unit responsible for safeguarding the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh and comprising about 2.65 lakh personnel, recorded the highest number of voluntary retirements, with 21,860 personnel choosing this option.

Among the other major forces, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the largest CAPF with approximately 3.25 lakh personnel, witnessed 12,893 members opting for early retirement. The Assam Rifles saw 5,146 personnel retiring early, followed by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF - 3,012), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP - 2,281), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB - 1,738).

Each force plays a crucial role: the Assam Rifles guards the India-Myanmar border, the CISF secures critical infrastructure such as civil airports and nuclear facilities, the SSB guards open Indian fronts with Nepal and Bhutan, and the ITBP protects the 3,488-kilometre Line of Actual Control with China.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai outlined the primary reasons for early retirements, which encompassed personal and domestic factors. These included issues related to children or family, health concerns concerning oneself or family members, social or family obligations, and pursuing better career prospects.

In response to the escalating number of early retirements, the government has initiated various measures. These include rotating units from extreme hardship areas to more normal postings and providing opportunities for postings near personnel's hometowns during the final two years before superannuation.

Addressing recommendations from a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) report presented in the Rajya Sabha on March 17, a parliamentary committee proposed that CAPFs adopt a deployment rotation policy to prevent extended stays in challenging conditions. The report further suggested conducting exit interviews or surveys among personnel choosing early retirement or resigning to identify factors contributing to attrition and implementing corrective measures accordingly.