RPF has maximum number of women personnel among central paramilitary forces

With women constituting 10 per cent of its personnel, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) now has the maximum number of females among the central paramilitary forces, a senior official said on Tuesday.

As of March 2019, the maximum women personnel were in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at 5.55 per cent of the total strength. Of the 1,56,013 personnel in the CISF, only 8,588 are women.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has 2,96,382 personnel, of whom just 7,824 or 2.64 per cent are women, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)has a strength of 80,000 personnel with 2,000 women which is 2.5 per cent of the force and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has only 1,817 women in its total strength of 98,000 personnel, which works out to 1.85 per cent. The Border Security Force (BSF) has 2,45,000 personnel, of whom only 5,129 are women, which is 2.12 per cent.

"With the recruitments done in 2019, the RPF has become the Central paramilitary force with the maximum number of women," RPF Director General Arun Kumar said, adding that the 80,000 strong force now has around 8,000 women in its ranks.

A total of 1,121 candidates (823 males and 298 females) were empanelled for recruitment to the post of sub inspectors in the RPF, out of which initial training of 929 (682 males and 247 females) sub-inspector cadets has already started, he said.

Similarly, 8,543 candidates (4,465 males and 4,078 females) were empanelled for recruitment as constable in the RPF, out of which initial training of 5,850 (3,350 males and 2,500 females) constable recruits has already started.

The recruitment of 1,044 constables (ancillary/band) is underway.