CRPF mulls restoring Army ranks abolished 30 years ago; promotions, Agniveers in focus

Central Reserve Police Force. Image used for representation purpose only. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the country's largest paramilitary force, is mulling reintroducing the military ranks of lance naik and naik, 30 years after they were abolished, to address delayed promotions and accommodate Agniveers retiring from the Army, officials said on Saturday (October 17, 2026).

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, they told PTI.

The lance naik and naik ranks were abolished in the force in 1997 and merged with the police ranks of constable and head constable through a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order.

The two ranks are still operational in the Army.

According to the hierarchy, a jawan who joins the force as a constable gains the first promotion of lance naik in five years, followed by the promotion to naik in 10 years and subsequently head constable in 20 years.