The Supreme Court’s ruling declares CAPF Group A officers from 1986 as Organised Group A Services, ensuring NFFU benefits and faster promotions. It mandates reducing IPS deputation in senior ranks within two years and a cadre review within six months, addressing stagnation and boosting morale for officers.
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The Supreme Court declares that Group A officers of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) from batches starting in 1986 are “Organised Group A Services” (OGAS) for all purposes.
The CAPF consists of seven armed police organizations under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) tasked with maintaining internal security, law and order, counterinsurgency, and protecting borders. Previously referred to as "paramilitary" forces, the term was officially discontinued in 2011.
The CAPF is classified into three groups:
These forces are categorized under the "other armed forces" in the Union List of the Constitution and function in accordance with Article 355, which mandates the Union to protect states against "external aggression" and "internal disturbances". Since "police" and "public order" fall under the State List, CAPF units are deployed to support state governments as required, while their powers, jurisdiction, privileges, and liabilities remain under the control of the Union government as specified in the Union List.
CAPF officers face severe career stagnation. Because 20% of DIG posts and 50% of Inspector General (IG) posts in CAPFs are reserved for IPS officers on deputation. These IPS officers, who come from outside the CAPF system, fill senior roles, blocking promotions for CAPF cadre officers. This “lateral entry” demotivates officers who serve in tough conditions, like guarding borders or fighting insurgency.
Legal Journey Timeline
2006 => Sixth Pay Commission: Introduction of Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU) concept to address service stagnation in Group A services, providing financial benefits even without promotion when vacancies are unavailable.
2015 => Delhi High Court: Initial examination of CAPF status, with preliminary recognition that CAPFs should be categorized alongside other organized services like Indian Foreign Service and Indian Revenue Service.
2019 => Supreme Court (First): Court decided that CAPFs come under the category of organized services, establishing precedent for current judgment but lacking a comprehensive implementation framework.
2021 => Fresh Petition: CAPF Group A officers approached the Supreme Court seeking NFFU benefits, cadre review, recruitment rule amendments, and elimination of IPS deputation for internal career progression.
May 23, 2025 => Supreme Court delivers comprehensive ruling recognizing CAPFs as "Organized Services" for all purposes, mandating progressive reduction of IPS deputation and service rule amendments.
The Supreme Court rules that CAPFs are OGAS for “all purposes,” entitling officers to all associated benefits, like NFFU and faster promotions.
Reduce IPS Deputation => The government must progressively cut IPS deputation in senior CAPF ranks (up to IG) within two years. This ensures more promotion opportunities for CAPF officers.
Cadre Review in Six Months => The MHA must complete a cadre review for all CAPFs and amend recruitment rules within six months. This will restructure posts, align promotion timelines, and reduce stagnation.
Current v/s Proposed System
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