Most candidates seek ‘safety’ of a government job in paramilitary forces while pursuing their dreams of becoming an IAS or IPS officer. (Photo: File/Representational)

New Delhi: Around 16 out of 28 candidates, which is 60 per cent of officers selected for joining the Border Security Force (BSF) have declined from joining in 2017, at a time when paramilitary forces are already running from a dearth of gazetted officers.

According to a report in The Indian Express, the shortage can be linked to tense situations on the border with Pakistan and the disagreement in the BSF following a video that was uploaded by one of its jawans.

Despite the risk of not being eligible to reappear for paramilitary post exams, 16 out of 28 candidates who qualified for the designation of assistant commandant in the BSF in 2017, refused to join service.

The figures follow the usual trend of BSF’s poor intake over the past few years. In 2016 (UPSC exams of 2014), only 17 out of 31 selected candidates joined training. The year 2016 also recorded the joining of 69 out of 110 officers selected in UPSC exams of 2013.

However, 15 of these 69 resigned from office during the course of their training.

Second-class treatment of paramilitary forces in comparison to the armed forces and lack of career advancement, especially in the BSF, are reasons that influenced candidates’ decision of not joining service, as told to The Sunday Express.

According to the Home Ministry, the BSF has openings for 522 gazetted officers at present. The force has an approved strength of 5,309.

Most candidates seek ‘safety’ of a government job in paramilitary forces while pursuing their dreams of becoming an IAS or IPS officer.

“I didn’t get what I wanted. My first option was CISF but my rank was poor so got BSF. Had I qualified for CISF, I would have joined. I was prepared for it,” said Vivek Minz, who got selected but refused to join training.

The video posted by Tej Bahadur Yadav, the now-dismissed BSF jawan, about poor-quality food served in camps had gone viral and has been watched by most of the selected officers. With reference to the content of the video, Minz said there is a need to have a redressal cell in the system to sort out such grievances and should not be posted on social media.

On being asked to comment on the state of affairs in recruitment of paramilitary forces, a senior BSF officer said, “BSF, CRPF and ITBP have some of the toughest postings. Among them, the BSF and CRPF are in war zones. That is why they are not the first preference for most candidates. Many also see the forces as just another government job, since they do not command the same respect as the Army. But for us, if a candidate is not mentally prepared for the BSF job, it’s better that he does not join us.”