CISF personnel learn how to treat disabled, new flyers
Times of India | 23 January 2026
Kolkata: New recruits of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) deployed at Kolkata airport are now undergoing mandatory soft skills and sensitivity training as part of a renewed push to improve passenger experience, with a special focus on flyers with disabilities and those unfamiliar with aviation security procedures, senior CISF officials said during an interaction this week.
The training initiative, introduced for frontline personnel manning security check portals, aims at reducing congestion, improving communication, and ensuring dignified treatment of passengers during screening. CISF officials said the programme combines language familiarisation, behavioural training, and disability sensitisation to address common pain points at security checkpoints. "CISF personnel stationed at conveyor belts and frisking points are trained to be polite and guide passengers," a senior CISF official said.
To overcome language barriers with flyers, CISF personnel are also being taught simple phrases in Bengali, Hindi, and English.
A key component of the initiative is sensitisation training for handling passengers with special needs, including those with mobility challenges, autism, speech impairment, and non-visible disabilities. "During the training, workshops are also being held by counsellors specialising in persons with mental and physical disabilities. Interactive sessions include live demonstrations of assistive devices and accounts shared by disabled persons and their families, focusing on situations that can cause anxiety or discomfort if misunderstood by security staff," the official said.
Officials said CISF personnel, before joining the service, are also trained on respectful communication, use of simple language, and appropriate physical positioning, such as crouching to wheelchair level during frisking.
"They are also being taught basic Indian sign language to communicate with hearing-impaired passengers," the officer added.
Officials said CISF personnel are also apprised of civil aviation guidelines mandating wider frisking cubicles, priority lanes, and minimal reliance on intrusive manual searches, and how frisking can be done without unnecessary removal of prosthetic limbs, giving importance to privacy and consent.
A senior airport official said such pre-recruitment training is essential to bridge gaps in understanding. "With increasing emphasis on inclusivity, this initiative is a crucial step towards making air travel safer, more accessible, and respectful for all passengers," the official said.