Over 93,000 posts vacant in CAPFs: govt. tells Rajya Sabha

Government reveals over 93,000 vacancies in CAPFs, with CISF and CRPF having the most, amid ongoing recruitment efforts

More than 93,000 posts are lying vacant in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday (March 11, 2026).

In a written reply to a question, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai presented data on vacancies in the paramilitary forces, showing that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has the highest number of 28,342 vacant posts followed by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) with 27,400 vacancies.

The Border Security Force (BSF) has 14,531 vacancies, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has 12,333, and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has 6,784 vacant positions. The Assam Rifles has 3,749 vacancies, taking the total to 93,139 posts.

Responding to concerns over whether the vacancies have affected law enforcement, internal security and disaster response capabilities, Mr. Rai said the security personnel are continuing to perform their responsibilities effectively. “The forces are discharging all duties in a highly professional manner through optimal utilisation of available resources,” he said.

The Minister added that filling vacancies in CAPFs and Assam Rifles is a continuous process, with recruitment being carried out through agencies such as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).

He said several measures have been taken to expedite recruitment, including annual recruitment for Constable (General Duty) posts through the SSC, nomination of a nodal force to coordinate recruitment for key ranks, and the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology during physical tests to streamline the selection process.