Central Armed Police Forces(CAPF): A new and happy news has come out for government employees, especially those who are serving in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Assam Rifles (AR). From now on, on the day of retirement, they will get an honorary rank, which will be one level above their current retiring rank. This decision has been told by the Ministry of Home Affairs through a circular issued on 30 May 2025.
This historic decision under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been taken to increase the honor and morale of the soldiers and officers who have been serving the country for a long time in the posts from constable to sub-inspector rank. The purpose of this honorary rank is to recognize their dedication and honesty, so that they feel respected even after their service.
What is honorary rank and who will get the benefit?
Under this scheme, personnel below officer rank in CAPF and Assam Rifles, such as constable to sub-inspector and rifleman to Naib Subedar, will be given honorary rank of one level above on the day of their retirement. It is worth noting that this honorary rank will not have any financial or pension benefits attached to it, it is only a post given as an honor. Its purpose is to promote the pride and self-respect of those personnel who have given their whole life in the service of the country.
The honorary rank that will be given will be in the service category of the retired personnel, meaning that only a rank one level above any rank will be given, not a different or unseen rank. This honor will be given only on the last day of his tenure.
Conditions for getting the honorary rank?
To get the honorary rank, the personnel will have to fulfill some necessary conditions. First of all, their service record should be clean at the time of retirement. At least “good” should be rated in the Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) of the last five years. Along with this, if any major punishment or conviction has been done in the last five years, then that will also be an obstacle for this honor.
Apart from this, departmental inquiry and vigilance (DE/Vigilance) approval will also be necessary before giving the honorary rank. It will not be given without the recommendation of the commanding officer. That is, this promotion will be given only on the recommendation of the officer, and this promotion will be considered effective only from the day of retirement of the personnel.
Benefits and Limitations of Honorary Rank
While this scheme promotes respect for the soldiers, it does not have any financial benefit or any increase in pension. The purpose of this honor is only to boost the morale of the soldiers who put their lives in the service of the country. Apart from this, this honorary rank will not affect the seniority of the personnel, that is, there will be no change in their hierarchy.
This entire scheme gives the message that the government fully respects the service and dedication of the soldiers who work continuously for the security of the country by performing their duties. This step is a way to express gratitude and respect for their service, so that they can feel proud even after their retirement.
So, all the employees who come under this scheme will definitely get the honor of this honorary rank, provided they fulfill all the conditions and get the recommendation of the commanding officer. This is a new chapter, where service and respect have been kept together, so that the morale of our soldiers is further enhanced.