Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 23
The National Security Guard (NSG), the country’s elite counter-terrorism force, is considering an increase in the tenure of deputation of Army as well as central armed police forces’ (CAPF) personnel to cater to its manpower requirements.
The NSG does not have a permanent cadre and all its personnel are on deputation for a fixed term, posing a peculiar problem of a ‘high turnover rate.’ This imposes a constant stress on manpower commitments and the high level of training-imparted individuals cannot be exploited optimally over the long term for raising the professional efficiency of the organisation.
Consequently, the NSG suffers from a lack of “institutional memory” and a sub-optimum availability of tactical combat experience that can be a force multiplier during an operation, a senior officer said.
Raised in 1986, the NSG’s mandate includes neutralising terrorists in any given area, building or vital installations, handling hijack and kidnapping situations and providing close protection to high-risk VIPs. Operations at the Pathankot air base in 2016 and at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai in 2009 following terrorist strikes are two most well-known NSG actions in recent times. They are also known to have been deployed for anti-terrorist operations in J&K.
“Increase of the deputation period of CAPF personnel from five years to seven years is being processed by the Ministry of Home Affairs,” a CAPF officer who till recently was with the NSG said. It has also been suggested to increase the tenure of Army personnel who come to NSG by two years, he added.
Army personnel constitute 53 per cent of the NSG’s strength. Officers come for two years whereas other ranks come for three years. However, taking into account assimilation training, leave and other commitments, an officer is effectively available for only about for 50 per cent of this period whereas other ranks are available for about 60 per cent of the deputation period.
Though feedback from Army officers, who have served in the NSG, suggests that their deputation period is too short for effectual contribution to the force, the move to increase their deputation period could be an issue in view of the shortage of junior and middle-rung officers in the Army. The NSG has also prepared a concept note on having a permanent cadre comprising 10 per cent of its strength for having continuity in administrative and training matters.
No own cadre
- NSG comprises personnel on deputation for a fixed term from Army and central armed police forces
- Army personnel constitute 53% of NSG’s strength; officers come for two years and other ranks for three years
- Increase of deputation of CAPF personnel from five years to seven years is being processed by MHA
from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2W84RRO
via Today’s News Headlines
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