Long wait ends as 263 CRPF officers elevated to Deputy Commandant

More than 250 CRPF Assistant Commandants received their first promotion after waiting 14-15 years, following Supreme Court intervention and resolution of service issues. Officials said the long-delayed promotions will boost morale and trigger advancement opportunities across lower ranks in the force

New Delhi: More than 250 officers of the country’s largest paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) finally received their first career promotion after a 14-15-year wait, officials said on Sunday.

Their much-delayed elevation came about after prolonged litigation and conditional resolution of pending service issues related to seniority and vacancies. On June 26, the CRPF headquarters issued orders promoting 263 Assistant Commandant-rank (AC) officers to Deputy Commandant (DC). The AC rank is the entry-level officer post in the central forces.

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“The development is significant because it will act as a morale booster for the officers who waited 14-15 years for their first promotion, which should ideally have come in five years,” a senior CRPF officer told PTI.

A Supreme Court order issued on April 16 clarified the position in this context.
The CRPF headquarters subsequently followed up with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), leading to the issuance of the much-delayed order, the officer said.

He said the newly promoted officers will, however, continue to serve in their current positions because their posting orders could not be issued immediately due to “operational and administrative constraints”.

The CRPF called the development a “significant milestone” on its social media post on X. Numerous field units where these officers are posted are holding rank pinning ceremonies to honour the newly promoted men and women. A second officer said these orders will further impact lower-rank personnel, as promotions to the AC rank will now occur from the Inspector rank, creating a ripple effect for other subordinate ranks.

PTI reported in April that CRPF Director General GP Singh, during an official event, assured officers and jawans of the force that efforts were ongoing to expeditiously resolve the “biggest problem” of stagnation in promotions in the force.

The CRPF, a 3.25-lakh-strong Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) under the MHA, is the country’s lead internal security force. It is deployed to counter Naxal violence, North Eastern insurgencies, and terrorist-affected regions of Jammu and Kashmir.