CRPF mulls restoring Army ranks abolished 30 years ago; promotions, Agniveers in focus
The CRPF headquarters has asked hundreds of field formations of the force across the country to conduct stakeholder meetings or 'Sainik Sammelans' and obtain the views of the personnel in this context in two days
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the country's largest paramilitary force, is considering the reintroduction of former military ranks, lance naik and naik, which were abolished 30 years ago. This comes in response to delayed promotions for CRPF personnel and to accommodate Agniveers retiring from the Army, officials said on October 17, 2026.
The CRPF headquarters has requested field formations across the nation to hold stakeholder meetings, or "Sainik Sammelans," to gather personnel's opinions on the matter within two days.
The lance naik and naik ranks, currently operational in the Army, were abolished in 1997 and merged with police ranks in the CRPF. These ranks would provide two additional promotions for constables before reaching the head constable rank, addressing grievances among CRPF jawans who typically experience a 22-25 year wait for their first promotion.
The reintroduction is also aimed at making the CRPF service more appealing to Agniveers, short-term military personnel under the Centre’s Agnipath scheme, whose first batch will begin retiring later this year.
However, a senior CRPF commandant emphasized that the re-introduction should not be a mere cosmetic move, ensuring discipline in the battalion. The proposed policy must consider the regimentation and operational efficiency of CRPF units, which currently have more than 20 subordinate officers in each battalion of over 1,000 personnel.
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