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The CRPF is considering reviving the lance naik and naik ranks as part of a proposed restructuring. (Img: X)
New Delhi: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is considering reinstating the Army-designated ranks of lance naik and naik, discontinued in the force in 1997, in a proposed restructuring aimed at addressing prolonged promotion delays and improving career prospects for its personnel.
The CRPF headquarters has asked its field formations across the country to hold consultations with personnel through Sainik Sammelans and submit their views on the proposal within two days, officials said on Saturday. The exercise is expected to help the force assess the implications of restoring the two ranks.
The ranks of lance naik and naik were abolished in the CRPF under a Ministry of Home Affairs order in 1997 and subsumed into the police designations of constable and head constable. Both ranks, however, continue to exist in the Indian Army.
The proposal comes against the backdrop of mounting concerns over career stagnation among the CRPF's approximately 3.25 lakh personnel. Constables in the force reportedly wait an average of 22 to 25 years for their first promotion, a delay that has fuelled dissatisfaction among the rank and file.
Under the earlier promotion structure, personnel could progress from constable to lance naik after five years of service, naik after 10 years and head constable after 20 years. Restoring the intermediate ranks could create two additional promotional avenues for constables before they advance to the head constable level.
Officials believe the proposed arrangement could help improve morale by providing personnel with more opportunities for career progression.
The exercise is also being viewed in the context of the first batch of Agniveers completing their four-year tenure under the Centre's Agnipath recruitment scheme. Those leaving military service will be eligible to seek employment in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), including the CRPF, making career progression an important consideration in attracting former Agniveers.
At present, the CAPFs have an informal arrangement under which constables may wear insignia corresponding to the senior constable designation, broadly comparable to the lance naik rank. However, there is no equivalent arrangement for the naik rank.
Ranbir Singh, Secretary General of the Ex-Paramilitary Personnel Association, said the proposed changes would be meaningful only if accompanied by a mechanism ensuring promotions within a stipulated timeframe. Without such safeguards, he cautioned, restoring designations alone would not resolve the underlying problem. A senior CRPF commandant also stressed that the proposal should go beyond a change in insignia or nomenclature and preserve discipline within battalions.
The CRPF and the Border Security Force had historically followed rank structures modelled on the Army's infantry battalions. However, any revival of the two ranks would need to account for the existing command structure and operational requirements.
With battalions comprising more than 1,000 personnel and over 20 subordinate officers, the proposed restructuring would have to balance career progression with organisational discipline and operational efficiency.
The proposal remains under consideration, with consultations among personnel expected to inform the force's assessment of the proposed changes.
