Here is an essay on ‘Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)’ for class 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)’ especially written for school and college students.
Essay on Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)
Essay Contents:
- Essay on the Border Security Force (BSF)
- Essay on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
- Essay on the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
- Essay on the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
- Essay on the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)
- Essay on the National Security Guard (NSG)
- Essay on the Special Protection Group (SPG)
- Essay on the Railway Protection Force (RPF)
Essay #
1. Border Security Force (BSF):
The Border Security Force (BSF) is a border guarding force. It was established on December 1, 1965. Its primary role is to guard India’s international borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh during peacetime and also prevent trans-border crime. BSF is headed by an IPS officer and is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The Indo-Pakistan war of 1965 demonstrated the inadequacies of the existing border management system and led to the formation of the Border Security Force as a unified central agency with the specific mandate of guarding India’s international boundaries with Pakistan. The BSF had trained, supported and formed a part of ‘Mukti Vahini’. The BSF had played an important role in the liberation of Bangladesh.
It has a strength of 2,50,000 personnel in 186 battalions. Some battalions of BSF are also deployed with CRPF in Naxal affected region of Dandakaranya and Jammu and Kashmir. The air wing of the BSF also played a constructive role in the relief work in Uttarakhand during the Kedarnath disaster in 2013.
Two battalions of the BSF, located at Kolkata and Guwahati, are designated as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
Role of BSF during Peacetime:
During peacetime, the BSF is associated with the following:
i. To promote sense of security among the people living in the border areas
ii. To prevent trans-border crimes, unauthorised entry into or exit from the territory of India
iii. To prevent smuggling and any other illegal activities on the border
iv. Anti-infiltration duties
v. To collect trans-border intelligence
Role of BSF in Times of War:
During the war, BSF is responsible for:
i. Holding ground in assigned sectors
ii. Limited aggressive action against Central Armed Police or irregular forces of the enemy
iii. Maintenance of law and order in enemy territory administered under the Army’s control
iv. Guarding of prisoners of war camps
v. Acting as guides to the army in border areas
vi. Assistance in control of refugees
vii. Provision of escorts
viii. Performing special tasks connected with intelligence, including raids
Essay #
2. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF):
The CRPF is the largest Central Armed Police Force in the country. It came into existence as the Crown Representative’s Police on 27th July 1939. After India’s independence, it became the Central Reserve Police and since then, the Force has achieved remarkable growth in strength and capabilities. It has strength of 234 battalions (Bns) including raising and under-raising Bns.
At present, CRPF has 195 executive Bns, 02 Disaster Management Bns, 04 Mahila Bns, 10 RAF Bns, 05 Signal Bns, 10 Commando Bns for Resolute Action (COBRA Bns), 01 Special Duty Group, 01 Parliament Duty Group (PDG) and 40 Group Centres and other allied institutions and training centres. CRPF has also raised 03 NDRF Battalions to assist during natural calamities and disasters. It functions under the aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of the Government of India. The CRPF is headed by an IPS Officer.
Role The CRPF’s primary role lies in assisting the State/Union Territories in police operations to maintain law and order contain insurgency and carry out anti Naxal operations. The CRPF also plays an important role in conducting elections across the country. Besides, it also performs guard duties at some of the vital installations and buildings, including the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in Jammu, and other religious shrines.
Some specialized formations of CRPF are as follows:
i. The Rapid Action Force (RAF):
It is a specialised 10 battalion wing of CRPF. It was formed in October 1992, to deal with communal riots and related civil unrest. It is a specialized force with multi-ethnic composition and better mobility for swift action to control communal riots.
ii. Commando Battalions for Resolute Action (COBRA) Bn:
There are 10 specialised battalions named COBRA and these battalions became operational during 2008-09. They are trained and equipped for commando operations especially against Left Wing Extremism and are capable of undertaking intelligence based quick operations.
iii. Special Duty Group (SDG) and Parliament Duty Group (PDG):
SDG is an elite CRPF unit tasked to provide armed protection to SPG protected places. It comprises of personnel drawn from various units of CRPF. SDG members are trained in combating nuclear and bio-chemical attacks, rescue operations and behavioural management. PDG is also an elite CRPF unit tasked to provide armed protection to Parliament House.
The creation of the PDG was mooted in the aftermath of the 2001 Parliament terror attack. It comprises 1,540 personnel drawn from various units of CRPF. PDG members are trained in combating nuclear and bio-chemical attacks, rescue operations and behavioural management. The PDG has distinct units of security personnel, communications experts, quick reaction teams and medical staff.
Essay #
3. Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP):
The ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) is a border guarding force. ITBP is headed by an IPS officer and is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). ITBP was established on October 24, 1962 for security along India’s border with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
It was raised with 4 service Batallions in the wake of Indo-China conflict in 1962. Presently, battalions of ITBP are deployed on border guarding duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Diphu La in Arunachal Pradesh, covering 3,488 km of the Indo-China Border. Manned border posts are at altitudes as high as 21,000 feet in the western, middle and eastern sectors of the border. ITBP is a mountain trained force and most of the officers and men are professionally trained mountaineers and skiers.
ITBP is a multi-dimensional force with primarily five functions:
i. Vigil on the northern borders, detection and prevention of border violations and promotion of the sense of security among the local populace
ii. Check illegal immigration and trans-border smuggling
iii. Provide security to sensitive installations and threatened VIPs
iv. Restore and preserve order in any area in the event of disturbance
v. To maintain the peace in the country.
The border posts manned by ITBP are exposed to high velocity storms, snow blizzards, avalanches and landslides, besides the hazards of high altitude and extreme cold, where temperature dips up to minus 40 degrees Celsius.
The ITBP has recently taken on disaster management role. Being the first responder for natural disaster in the Himalayas, the ITBP was the first to establish 06 (now 08) Regional Response Centres in Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal and the North-east.
It has carried out numerous rescue and relief operations in various disaster situations, which took place in their areas of responsibility as well as other parts of the country. ITBP has already trained 1,032 personnel in disaster management including 98 personnel in radiological and chemical and biological emergencies.
ITBP commando units also provide security to the embassy and consulates of India in Afghanistan. The force has also been providing security to pilgrims during the annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra since 1981. ITBP provides communication, security and medical cover to the yatris.
ITBP, being deployed in mountains, has developed the expertise in rescue and relief operations in the mountains, which entails specialised skills of very high standard. It is always first in extending rescue and relief in case of natural calamities. It BP played a critical role in the relief operation in Uttarakhand in 2013 ITBP conducts a large number of civic action programmes in remote border and terrorist affected areas to provide free and expert medical, health and hygiene care to the civilian population in remote villages.
Essay #
4. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF):
The CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) provides security cover to 300 industrial units and other establishments located all over India. It was raised in the year 1969. It provides security cover to 307 industrial unit including 59 domestic and international airports and fire protection cover to 86 industrial undertakings.
Industrial sectors like atomic power plants, space installations, mints, oil fields and refineries, major ports, the Delhi metro, heavy engineering and steel plants, barrages, fertilizer units, airports and hydroelectric/thermal power plants owned and controlled by the Central PSUs, and currency note presses producing Indian currency are protected by the CISF.
In a span of four decades, the force has grown manifold and has a sanctioned strength of 1,33,762 as on 31.12.2012. CISF is headed by an IPS officer and is under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). With the globalisation and liberalisation of the economy, CISF has become a premier multi-skilled security agency of the country mandated to provide security to major critical infrastructure installations of the country in diverse regions including terrorist and Naxal affected areas.
The Indian Parliament on February 25, 2009 authorised the provision of Central Industrial Security Force to provide security to private and cooperative establishments across the country for a fee with the passage of the CISF (Amendment) Act, 2008. The Act also provides for deployment of CISF to protect Indian missions abroad and its participation in the UN peacekeeping operations.
The CISF started providing security to the Infosys Bangalore campus in 2009. Infosys Mysore, Reliance Refinery, Jamnagar and the Delhi Metro Airport Express Line are the latest additions to the list of private sector establishments to be placed under CISF cover.
Essay #
5. Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB):
The SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal) is a border guarding Force. SSB is headed by an IPS officer and is under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Its primary role is to guard India’s international border with Nepal and Bhutan. It was formerly known as the Special Service Bureau.
SSB (Special Service Bureau) was set up in early 1963 in the wake of the Sino-Indian War. The primary tasks of the force were to provide armed support for RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) and to inculcate feelings of national belonging in the border population and develop their capabilities for resistance through a continuous process of motivation, training, development, welfare programmes and activities in the then NEFA, North Assam (northern areas of Assam state), North Bengal (northern areas of West Bengal state), hills of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh.
SSB was renamed as ‘Sashastra Seema Bal’ in accordance with its new role and came under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs in the year 2001. This was done after the Kargil War when ‘one border one force’ concept was adopted. SSB was assigned the duty of manning the 1,751 km long Indo-Nepal Border in 2001. In March 2004, SSB was assigned the task of guarding the 699 km stretch of Indo-Bhutan border along the states of Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. SSB is also the first border guarding force which has decided to recruit women battalions.
SSB is also engaged in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and anti-naxal operations in Jharkhand and Bihar. It is also performing internal security duties, i.e. election duties and law and order duties, in different parts of India.
The role of SSB comprises the following:
i. To promote sense of security among the people living in the border areas
ii. To prevent trans-border crimes and unauthorised entry or exit from the territory of India
iii. To prevent smuggling and other illegal activities
Essay #
6. National Security Guard (NSG):
The National Security Guard (NSG) is a special force set up in 1984 as a Federal Contingency Deployment Force that has primarily been utilised for counter-terrorism activities and was created by the Cabinet Secretariat under the National Security Guard Act of the Indian Parliament in 1986. It works completely within the Central Armed Police Forces structure.
NSG is a 100% deputation force and all personnel posted are on deputation from Army, CAPs, State police and other organisation. Its primary task is to engage and neutralise terrorist threats in specific situations and undertake counter hijack and hostage rescue missions. They are also assigned the task of providing mobile security protection to WIPs. The NSG is an elite force providing a second line of defence to the nation.
They have played a pivotal role in safeguarding the unity of India and have commendably foiled attempts of anti-national elements to tear apart the social fabric of the country. The NSG has maintained an edge over terrorist outfits in the possession of latest technology. They are considered among the best special operations units in the world. NSG is headed by an IPS Officer and is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The NSG’s specific goals include:
i. Neutralisation of terrorist threats
ii. Handling hijacking situations in air and on land
iii. Bomb disposal (search, detection and neutralisation of IEDs)
iv. Engaging and neutralising terrorists in specific situations
v. Hostage rescue
NSG performed Operation Black Tornado and Operation Cyclone to flush out terrorists and rescue hostages after multiple attacks across Mumbai in the 26/11 attack in 2008. Four new NSG hubs, were established in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata after this incident.
The National Bomb Data Centre (NBBC) under NSG maintains the National Bomb Data Centre at Manes war and conducts post blast studies in various parts of the country mostly on request from State authorities. It maintains a data bank on explosives and incidents of blasts which may be of use to security forces.
Essay #
7. Special Protection Group (SPG):
The Special Protection Group (SPG) is the executive protection agency of the Government of India. It is responsible for the protection of the Prime Minister of India, former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members. The Force is under the control of the Cabinet Secretariat.
The force was established in 1985 after the assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, erstwhile Prime Minister. It provides proximate security to the protected, including protection provided from close quarters, journey on foot, road, rail, aircraft, watercraft or any other means of transport, and includes places of functions, engagements, residence, etc. They comprise of ring round teams, isolation cordons, the sterile zone, and the rostrum and access control to the person or members of his immediate family.
Essay #
8. Railway Protection Force (RPF):
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of the Indian Railways is entrusted with the task of protecting the lifeline of the country namely the Indian Railways. The strength of RPF is about 65,000.
The duties of the Railway Protection Force include:
i. To engage in all conducive means for the free movement of the railways
ii. Protection and safeguarding of railway property
iii. Protection and safeguarding of passengers, their belongings and passenger areas
Originally the force was called Watch & Ward and it functioned under the administrative control of railway administration. Later on, this force was renamed as Railway Protection Force and its members were provided with the power to arrest without warrant for the unlawful possession of railway property. The term railway property included only the properties owned by the railway administration.
In due course of time, the definition for the term Railway Property was extended and it included the properties owned by, or in the charge of or entrusted with the railways. The offenders are booked under the Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act 1966 which is shortly known as RP (UP) Act 1966. Now the Railway Protection Force has a separate administrative system and functions under the general supervision of the Railway Administration.