Over 500 CISF Inspectors Flag Career Stagnation, Demand Fair Promotions

More than 500 inspectors of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have petitioned the force headquarters seeking a fair and time-bound cadre review , citing severe stagnation in promotions that has left many retiring after decades of service with minimal career advancement. The appeal comes after a February 2 Supreme Court directive disposing of their Special Leave Petition and directing authorities to complete the cadre review within three months , raising expectations of long-awaited reform.

In the CISF hierarchy, personnel are recruited as sub-inspectors (SIs) , promoted to inspectors , and then to assistant commandants (ACs) the entry-level gazetted officer rank . With approximately 17,000 SIs and nearly 3,000 inspectors , the principal bottleneck occurs between the inspector rank and the limited number of AC posts. Many inspectors say they retire after 30–34 years of unblemished service with only one promotion, describing the situation as “extraordinary and unprecedented.”

The petitioners argue that prolonged stagnation has caused loss of morale, financial disadvantage, and professional frustration , potentially affecting motivation within the force. They attribute the delays to structural factors including the limited number of gazetted posts , alleged reductions in departmental promotion quotas, and delays in cadre restructuring exercises intended to align manpower with evolving security requirements.

Inspectors have also raised concerns about rank disparities with other Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) such as the CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB , noting that officers recruited through the same SSC examination in these forces have progressed to higher gazetted ranks. They further allege non-compliance with Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) cadre management guidelines mandating periodic reviews to prevent stagnation.

As the feeder cadre for Group ‘A’ posts , inspectors insist they are directly affected by the ongoing cadre review and should be included in the process. A senior CISF officer confirmed that the Group ‘A’ cadre review is underway and will be conducted fairly, considering all sections of personnel.

From the government’s perspective, promotions in CAPFs must balance operational needs, financial implications, organisational hierarchy , and inter-force parity . However, experts warn that prolonged stagnation may undermine morale in a force responsible for safeguarding airports, nuclear installations, metro networks, and other critical infrastructure .

With the CISF nearing two lakh personnel and responsibilities expanding, the court-mandated review is being closely watched as a potential turning point in addressing long-standing promotion concerns.