Central Paramilitary Forces witness massive manpower exodus; Officers, Jawans quitting forces rise three-fold since 2015

In what comes out as a startling revelation, the number of jawans and officers leaving central paramilitary forces for better career avenues has increased almost five times since 2015.

In all, 27,862 jawans/officers of central paramilitary forces have taken voluntary retirement and resigned since 2015 till January 31 this year.

According to the latest ministry of home affairs figures, tabled in the parliament, 14,587 personnel including gazetted officers of central paramilitary forces – CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB, CISF and Assam Rifles have resigned or taken voluntary retirement from service in 2017 as compared to only 3,422 in 2015.

The statistics reveal an increasing trend, particularly in the two largest forces – CRPF and BSF, crucial for border and internal security of the country. While 11,198 personnel have left BSF, which guards India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh since 2015, 10,620 gave up their jobs in CRPF - responsible for law and order duty and fighting extremists in left wing affected states, Jammu and Kashmir and north east.

The statistics reveal an increasing trend, particularly in the two largest forces – CRPF and BSF, crucial for border and internal security of the country. While 11,198 personnel have left BSF, which guards India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh since 2015, 10,620 gave up their jobs in CRPF - responsible for law and order duty and fighting extremists in left wing affected states, Jammu and Kashmir and north east.

While government has been claiming to work for the welfare of central armed police forces, the trend shows that maximum number of people have left the service in last two years. For example, number of Constables/head constables and other lower staff in CRPF who left the force in 2015 was only 1,156 but in 2017, 4,154 jawans decided to leave.

Similarly, while only 35 gazetted officers had left CRPF in 2015, 59 such officers left the force last year.BSF, which was in the middle of a controversy over bad quality food given to jawans as alleged by suspended Constable Tej Bahadur Yadav, is the worst hit when it comes to attrition.

Out of 11,198 personnel who left the border guarding force, 5,505 jawans, 839 subordinate officers and 71 gazetted officers resigned or took VRS last year while this number only 741 jawans, 132 subordinate officers and 36 gazetted officers had left the force in 2015.