Govt assures safe working conditions for women CAPF personnel
The Statesman | 4 December 2025
The Union government is taking all possible steps to ensure safe working conditions, separate accommodation facilities, and gender-sensitive operational protocols for women in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai stated that the women personnel of the CAPFs are being provided separate accommodation/ barracks, Rest room-cum-changing room and separate toilets.
He shared that Creches and Day Care Centres have also been provided to take care of their children, while there is also a provision for women-centric medical support to address women-specific health issues, Women Help Desks and confidential complaint mechanisms to address grievances related to sexual harassment.
The minister informed that in an effort to form a conducive environment, regular gender sensitization workshops are conducted.
As a part of operational protocol, women personnel are deployed generally in not less than a section strength or in buddy pair, while flexible time and shift systems are being adopted wherever possible.
He also mentioned that in January, 2016, it was decided to reserve 33% posts at constable level for being filled up by women in CRPF to begin with and 14- 15% posts at constable level in border guarding forces including Border Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal & the Indo- Tibetan Border Police.
He also shared the details of the number of women recruited in CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB.
CRPF, in 2024-25, recruited 294 women and has a target of recruiting 1,192 in 2025-26. BSF enrolled 1,680 women personnel in the financial year 2024-25, and for 2025-26, set a target of 2,513.
Similarly the ITBP enrolled 1,093 women in 2024- 25, and the target of recruitment for 2025-26 is 1,375. SSB recruited 172 women in the financial year 2024- 25, and has a recruitment target of 91 women in 2025- 26.
Overall, 3,239 women personnel were recruited in the CAPFs during 2024-25 and the target for 2025-26 is 5,171.