Central Armed Police Forces (Overview)

Definition

The umbrella term for the five armed central forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Assam Rifles, and the National Security Guard, raised to assist in internal security, border guarding, and the protection of vital installations.

Key points

• The five forces officially called Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) are the Border Security Force (BSF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
• The term "paramilitary forces" was formally discontinued; since 2011 the Ministry of Home Affairs uses "Central Armed Police Forces" for these forces.
• The CRPF is the largest CAPF and India's largest central police force; the BSF is the largest border-guarding force; the CISF guards airports, metros, and industrial and government installations.
• The Assam Rifles and the National Security Guard are also under the MHA but are not always counted within the five CAPFs; the Assam Rifles is administered by the MHA but operationally controlled by the Army.
• Recruitment of Assistant Commandants (Group A) into the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, and SSB is through the UPSC CAPF (AC) Examination.

Why it matters for CAPF

This is the single most directly relevant institutional topic for a CAPF aspirant: the names, full forms, ministry, and primary roles of the five forces are routinely tested and are the candidate's own future service.

Common confusion

The Army, Navy, and Air Force are the armed forces under the Ministry of Defence; the CAPFs are central police organisations under the Ministry of Home Affairs. "Paramilitary forces" in the strict current usage is reserved by some for the Assam Rifles, Coast Guard, and Special Frontier Force, but in common usage the term loosely covers the CAPFs.

Related concepts

concept one border one force, concept central industrial security force, concept assam rifles, concept national security guard

Parent note

the five capfs in depth