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The Five CAPFs: Quick Facts
A compact, tabular quick-reference on the five Central Armed Police Forces (CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB), their raising years, founding Acts, mandates, mottos and the wider uniformed family, for CAPF aspirants
CAPF wiki•3 min read•7 sections
At a glance
SubjectInternal Security
RevisionInternal SecurityCAPFCRPFBSFCISFITBPSSB
One screen per section. Cover the right column and test yourself. This is the single most CAPF-specific revision sheet: the board and the paper both expect fluent recall of the five forces. For sanctioned strengths, battalion counts and the current Director General of each force, verify the latest MHA Annual Report. The forces are treated in depth in the five capfs in depth.
| Force |
Raised |
Founding Act |
Primary mandate |
| CRPF |
1939 (as Crown Representative's Police; renamed 1949) |
CRPF Act, 1949 |
Internal security, anti-Naxal operations, law and order, election duty |
| BSF |
1965 |
BSF Act, 1968 |
Guarding the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh land borders |
| CISF |
1969 |
CISF Act, 1968 |
Security of industrial and critical installations, airports, metros |
| ITBP |
1962 |
ITBP Act, 1992 |
Guarding the India-China border at high altitude |
| SSB |
1963 (reconstituted under MHA, 2003) |
Reconstituted 2003 |
Guarding the open India-Nepal and India-Bhutan borders |
The CRPF is the largest CAPF. All five forces are under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
| Force |
Motto / identity note |
| CRPF |
Seva aur Nishtha (Service and Loyalty); India's largest paramilitary-type force |
| BSF |
Jeevan Paryant Kartavya (Duty Unto Death); world's largest border-guarding force |
| CISF |
Sanrakshan evam Suraksha (Protection and Security); guards over a hundred airports and nuclear/space sites |
| ITBP |
Shaurya, Dridhata, Karm Nishtha (Valour, Determination, Devotion to Duty); the "Himveers" |
| SSB |
Service, Security and Brotherhood; once stood for Special Service Bureau |
| Border |
Guarding force |
| India-Pakistan |
BSF |
| India-Bangladesh |
BSF |
| India-China (LAC) |
ITBP |
| India-Nepal |
SSB |
| India-Bhutan |
SSB |
| India-Myanmar |
Assam Rifles |
| Force |
Note |
| Assam Rifles |
Oldest paramilitary force, raised 1835; guards the India-Myanmar border; dual control (MHA for administration, Army for operations) |
| NSG |
"Black Cat" commandos; counter-terror and counter-hijack; raised 1984 |
| NDRF |
Disaster response; raised 2006 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 |
| SPG |
Special Protection Group; protects the Prime Minister |
| RPF |
Railway Protection Force; secures railway property and passengers |
| Indian Coast Guard |
Maritime law enforcement; under the Ministry of Defence |
A precision point the interview rewards: the five MHA forces are properly called Central Armed Police Forces, not "paramilitary forces". Assam Rifles and the Coast Guard sit under different control arrangements.
| Item |
Fact |
| Assistant Commandant recruitment |
Through the UPSC CAPF (AC) Examination |
| Rank of Assistant Commandant |
Group A gazetted entry-level officer rank |
| Force head |
Director General (an IPS officer or cadre officer; varies by force) |
| Central armed police academies |
Each force has its own training academy or academies |
| Ministry |
All five report to the Ministry of Home Affairs |
| Theme |
Point to make |
| Use of force at borders |
Proportionality and minimum force; civilian protection |
| Crowd and law-and-order duty |
Adherence to standard operating procedures and the rule of law |
| Detention and custody |
Compliance with constitutional safeguards under Articles 21 and 22 |
| Oversight |
The National Human Rights Commission can examine alleged violations by armed forces of the Union through the Centre |
See internal security one liners and afspa and the human rights debate.