CRPF plans to reintroduce Lance Naik and Naik ranks, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) plans to reintroduce the ranks of Lance Naik and Naik.
• These ranks were abolished in the CRPF in 1997 through a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order, merging them with Constable and Head Constable respectively.
• The initiative aims to address significant promotion stagnation, as constables currently wait 22-25 years for their first promotion.
• The move also seeks to boost morale and make CRPF service more appealing to Agniveers transitioning from the Army.

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Detailed Insights:

• The CRPF, India's largest paramilitary force, has approximately 3.25 lakh personnel.
• The reintroduction would create two additional promotional avenues for constables before they reach the Head Constable rank.
• In the Indian Army, Lance Naik is typically the first promotion after five years, followed by Naik in ten years.
• The CRPF is currently gathering feedback from its lower formations and stakeholders through special sainik sammelans.
• The first batch of Agniveers is set to retire this year and will be eligible to join Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
• Currently, CAPFs have an ad hoc arrangement for a senior constable rank insignia, equivalent to Lance Naik, but no equivalent for Naik.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF): India's largest central armed police force, primarily responsible for internal security, counter-insurgency, and riot control.
• Agnipath Scheme: A recruitment policy launched in 2022 for soldiers into the Indian Armed Forces for a four-year tenure.
• Agniveers: Personnel recruited under the Agnipath Scheme for short-term service in the Indian Armed Forces.
• Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs): A group of central police organizations under the Ministry of Home Affairs responsible for internal security, border guarding, and specialized security duties.