Enhancement of Retirement Age of CAPF Personnel from 57 to 60 Years

7th Pay Commission recommendations on Retirement Age of CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB –  Enhancement of Age of Retirement from Existing 57 years to 60 Years of Age

According to the PTI News, the Retirement age of CAPF Personnel is set to be fixed at 60 years after the Supreme Court recently dismissed a special leave petition (SLP) filed by the government against the direction of the Delhi High Court to resolve an existing anomaly, official sources said today.

Sources in the security establishment said the Central government has time till May-end to implement the directive of the Delhi High Court and after consultations with all the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), it is “certain” that the age of superannuation in all the forces will be made uniform, well before the deadline.

7th Pay Commission recommendations on Retirement Age

7th Pay Commission recommendations on Retirement Age of CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB. Enhancement of Age of Retirement from Existing 57 years to 60 Years of Age

This demand has been made by CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB. As per the existing position the age of retirement in Assam Rifles and CISF is 60 while it is 57 in rest of the CAPFs up to the rank of Commandants.

DoPT has stated that although the issue was dealt with by the V and the VI CPCs, neither of the Commissions recommended any changes in the age of superannuation. MHA has also declined to enhance the age of superannuation on the ground that the age of retirement has been fixed depending on operational need of that particular Organisation.

Having considered the entire position and the views of MHA and DoPT on this issue, the Chairman, Seventh CPC feels that the grounds stated for justifying differential age of superannuation are not very convincing. Further, members of the CAPFs squarely form a part of the civilian work force. Hence, the Chairman recommends a uniform age of superannuation of 60 years to all CAPFs. Dr. Rathin Roy, Member, Seventh CPC is in agreement with this recommendation.

However, Shri Vivek Rae, Member, Seventh CPC has not agreed with this recommendation for the following reasons:-

a. Ministry of Home Affairs is of the considered view that the age of superannuation cannot be enhanced from existing 57 years to 60 years for all ranks of CRPF, BSF, SSB and ITBP. Force personnel up to the rank of Commandant have operational/combat roles in the field, which require higher physical fitness and efficiency. The higher ranks of DIG and above in these four CAPFs are more supervisory and administrative in nature, which do not require physical fitness of the level required in field units. Therefore, in the ranks of DIG and above in the four CAPFs, the age of retirement is 60 years, while for ranks till the level of Commandant, the retirement age is 57 years.

b. Stipulating a lower age of superannuation up to the rank of Commandant in these four CAPFs is a well thought and conscious decision of the government based on ground realities and as per the administrative and operational requirement of the forces. Even in the Army, there are different ages for retirement, which increase in accordance with rank.

c. MHA has further observed that it is not correct to say that in Assam Rifles the age of retirement up to the rank of Commandant is 60 years. Assam Rifles is officered by the Army, and the retirement age at the level of Colonel is not 60 years but 57 years.

d. CAPFs like ITBP, BSF are posted on border/high altitude/difficult terrain duties and CRPF is generally deployed for internal security duties and CI operations. Hence their functional profile is more akin to Army, justifying younger age of the Force. Thus, 57 years in other CAPFs and 60 years in CISF is commensurate with the different roles assigned to them.