Major changes are anticipated within the Central Reserve Police Force as authorities move to overhaul the promotion structure for lower-rung personnel. If plans proceed smoothly, a long-discontinued system will make a comeback, sparing constables from enduring a grueling wait of two decades for career advancement. The force has drafted a formal proposal to reinstate the ranks of Lance Naik and Naik, ensuring that troops receive promotions within a fixed and predictable timeframe.
Under the proposed framework, soldiers would be elevated to Lance Naik after completing 5 years of service, promoted to Naik following 10 years on the job, and reach the rank of Havildar after 15 years of tenure. The CRPF Directorate General has already dispatched this proposal to all operational units across the force. Senior commanders, along with constables and Havildars themselves, have been asked to submit their feedback. All concerned personnel have been given a strict 48-hour window to register their suggestions.
To ensure transparency, these proposals will be discussed openly with troops during Sainik Sammelans, official meetings, and routine roll calls. The feedback gathered from these interactions will subsequently be forwarded to the force headquarters. A final decision on implementing the system will be taken only after a comprehensive review of these inputs. This participatory approach is designed to gauge the ground-level practicality of the revival.
Both ranks were dismantled back in 1997
Historically, the CRPF did feature Lance Naik and Naik designations within its ranks. However, following approval from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs nearly three decades ago, both ranks were officially abolished on October 10, 1997. At that time, these positions were merged directly into the standard constable and Havildar categories. This structural alteration severely restricted career progression for constables. Under the prevailing system, a constable must wait roughly 20 to 22 years simply to secure their very first promotion to Head Constable. Remaining stuck in the exact same rank for such an extended duration has inevitably taken a toll on the morale of the troops.
Two promotions within the first decade of service
The push to reintroduce these specific ranks on a time-bound basis aims to expand career opportunities within the CRPF General Duty cadre. The proposed structure outlines that after 5 years of service, a constable transitions to Lance Naik. Following another five years, making it 10 years of total service, the Lance Naik advances to the rank of Naik. Finally, after 15 years, the personnel move up to Havildar. The current proposal specifies that these ranks will initially be introduced on an ad-hoc or temporary basis to assess their operational viability.
Strengthening leadership and discipline in the field
According to a senior CRPF official, intermediate ranks like Lance Naik and Naik play an indispensable role in leading small tactical teams. During anti-naxal operations in dense forests, routine patrols, and deployments in high-threat sensitive zones, the force requires experienced personnel capable of taking command of their peers and managing contingencies on the spot. Bringing back these ranks will establish an essential intermediate chain of command between senior officers and junior recruits. This hierarchy is expected to optimize duty distribution, improve supervision over daily tasks, and foster better coordination during high-stakes security operations.
