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About CAPF

Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)

The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) refers to uniform nomenclature of security forces in India under the authority of Ministry of Home Affairs.This includes

Border Security Force (BSF)
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)

The Central Reserve Police Force is the largest of the Central Armed Police Forces units with 313,678 personnel in 245 battalions. The Central Reserve Police includes: The Rapid Action Force (RAF), a 15 battalion anti-riot force trained to respond to sectarian violence. The Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA), a 10 battalion strong anti-Naxalite/COIN force.

Border Security Force (BSF)

The primary role of the Border Security Force is to guard the Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Bangladesh borders, it is deployed both on the international border and the LOC. The BSF also has active roles during times of war. It has 257,363 personnel in 186 battalions.

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)

One of the largest industrial security forces in the world, the Central Industrial Security Force provides security to various Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and other critical infrastructure installations, major airports across the country and provides security during elections and other internal security duties and VVIP protection. It has a total strength of about 144,418 personnel in 132 battalions. including 9 reserve battalions.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police is deployed for guarding duties on the Indo-China border from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Diphu Pass in Arunachal Pradesh covering a total distance of 3488 km. It has 89,432 personnel in 56 fighting, 2 DM and 4 specialized battalions.

Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)

The objective of the Sashastra Seema Bal (English: Armed Border Force) is to guard the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders. It has 76,337 personnel and 67 battalions, as well as some reserved battalions.

Assam Rifles (AR)

The Assam Rifles can trace their lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally adopted in 1917. Over the course of its history, the Assam Rifles and its predecessor units have served in a number of roles, conflicts and theatres including World War I where they served in Europe and the Middle East, and World War II where they served mainly in Burma. In the post World War II period the Assam Rifles has expanded greatly as has its role. There are currently 63,747 personnel and 46 battalions of Assam Rifles under the control of the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and they perform many roles including the provision of internal security under the control of the army through the conduct of counter insurgency and border security operations, provision of aid to the civil power in times of emergency, and the provision of communications, medical assistance and education in remote areas. In times of war they can also be used as a combat force to secure rear areas if needed.

National Security Guard (NSG)

The National Security Guard (NSG) is a counter terrorism unit under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It was raised in 15 October 1984, following Operation Blue Star, Akshardham Temple attack and the assassination of Indira Gandhi, "for combating terrorist activities with a view to protect states against internal disturbances". Currently it has 7,350 personnel.

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Exam Pattern I Syllabus I Eligibility I

About CAPF Organisation and leadership

Organisation and leadership

Central Armed Police Forces are organised with primary role of border guarding for BSF, ITBP, SSB; Security of sensitive establishments by CISF, Assisting Police to tackle Law & Order, Counter Terrorist Operations, Counter Naxal Operations by CRPF, NSG. Apart from primary role, all CAPFs are involved in assisting Police in Law & Order situations and also Army in Counter Terrorist Operations. BSF & CRPF have assisted army during external aggression in the past. CAPFs work along with both Army & Police in different roles assigned to them.

Central Armed Police Forces personnel also serve in various important organisations such as Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Special Protection Group (SPG), National Investigation Agency (NIA), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Indian Army on deputation. Their role and performance, therefore, assumes a great significance due to the special features of an emergency force which is pressed in aid to civil power to perform multiple roles in extremely difficult situations.

Comparative Rank Structure

Officers in CAPFs are recruited through the Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination conducted by UPSC. They are appointed as Assistant Commandants and are Gazetted Officers generally referred to as DAGOs (Directly Appointed Gazetted Officers). DEGOs (Departmental Entry Gazetted Officers) are those officers who have been promoted through departmental exams conducted internally for Subordinate Officers.

CAPFs ranks	Police ranks	Army ranks	Navy ranks	Air Force ranks	Coast Guard ranks
Director General (Apex Scale of the Indian Police Service)	Director General of State Police Force	Lieutenant General	Vice Admiral	Air Marshal	Director General
Additional Director General (ADG)	Additional Director General (ADG)	Lieutenant General	Vice Admiral	Air Marshal	Additional Director General
Inspector General (IG)	Inspector General (IG)	Major General	Rear Admiral	Air Vice Marshal	Inspector General
Deputy Inspector General (DIG)	Deputy Inspector General (DIG)	Brigadier	Commodore	Air commodore	Deputy Inspector General
Commandant	Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)	Colonel	Captain	Group Captain	commandant
Second-in-Command	Superintendent of Police (SP)	Lt.Colonel	Commander	Wing Commander	commandant (Jr grade).
Deputy Commandant	Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police /Additional Superintendent of Police	Major	Lieutenant Commander	Squadron Leader	Deputy Commandant
Assistant Commandant	Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) / Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)	Captain	Lieutenant	Flight lieutenant	Assistant Commandant

Women in the Central Armed Police Forces

Initially women were not recruited for the Central Armed Police Forces.

In 1992 Asha Sinha created history by being the first Woman Commandant of any of the Central Armed Forces in India when she was selected as Commandant, Central Industrial Security Force, for Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited. Earlier the role of Women was allowed but limited to supervisory roles in the Central Armed Police Forces. The Parliamentary Committees of India for women's empowerment recommended greater roles for women in the CAPF. On these recommendations the Ministry of Home Affairs declared reservation for women in constabulary in paramilitary forces, and later declared that they can also be inducted as officers in combat roles in all five Central Armed Police Forces. The Union Home Minister announced that women's representation in the CRPF and CISF would be made 15 per cent while it would be 5 per cent in the BSF, ITBP and SSB. On 5 January 2016, it was decided that 33 per cent of posts at the constabulary level would be reserved for women in the CRPF and the CISF to begin with, and 14-15 per cent of posts at the constable level in the BSF, SSB and ITBP in a phased manner. In 2016, an IPS Officer Archana Ramasundaram of 1980 Batch rewrote history when became the first Woman to become the Director General of Police of a Paramilitary Force as DG, Sashastra Seema Bal.

Women in the Central Armed Police Forces

Initially women were not recruited for the Central Armed Police Forces.