PANAJI
Seventeen years after joining the Goa Police, Police Sub-Inspectors (PSIs) directly recruited into the second battalion of the Goa India Reserve Battalion (IRB-2) in 2010 are yet to receive their first promotion, despite the creation of a unified cadre more than a decade ago.
The officers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that despite being directly recruited as PSIs, they continue to remain in the same rank, while personnel recruited in lower ranks have earned successive promotions through the departmental hierarchy and have either reached or are on par with them. Some non-promoted PSIs are now approaching retirement.
“The disparity in promotional opportunities is arbitrary, discriminatory and contrary to the principle of cadre parity,” said one PSI.
At the centre of the dispute is the restructuring of the IRB and Goa Police cadres over the past decade. In 2013, the government created a common cadre by preparing a combined seniority list for all three IRB battalions. Following the exercise, 14 PSIs from IRB-1 were promoted as Inspectors in 2016, while the remaining officers from that battalion received promotions in 2017.
However, officers from the 2010 batch of IRB-2 contend that they did not receive similar consideration and continue to remain PSIs.
The officers further pointed to the government's decision of April 26, 2022, to merge 33 gazetted posts in the IRB -- three Commandants, nine Deputy Commandants and 21 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DySPs) -- with the Goa Police.
"Seniority for higher posts was determined after the merger without adequately considering directly recruited officers from the IRB-2 and IRB-3 batches. Had eligible IRB officers been promoted before the merger, many from the 2010 batch would by now have reached the rank of PIs or higher," the source said.
The 2010 officers further alleged that while the merger of gazetted posts benefited officers in the Goa Police, directly recruited IRB officers were left behind, despite possessing comparable qualifications and years of service.
In 2022, a group of affected officers approached the High Court of Bombay at Goa, challenging the denial of promotional opportunities.
The IRB comprises three battalions -- IRB-1, raised in 2006, IRB-2 in 2010 and IRB-3 in 2013.
The State had approved the raising of IRB-2 in 2009, following which the department initiated recruitment of around 700 police constables and 40 Police Sub-Inspectors. Sources said personnel across battalions have undergone training at Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) academies in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra besides the police academy in Assam.
The grievance has resurfaced days after the Office of the IRB Commandant issued orders promoting 16 Armed Police Constables as Head Constables on a regular basis.
