CAPF’s Fight for OPS: A Case for Dignity, Security and Fairness
A Life of Sacrifice
Imagine a man who chooses to serve in the force just for the love of his nation. He works hard and lives in the toughest conditions, far away from his family, in high-altitude areas where even breathing can be very difficult, and where food reaches with great difficulty. Imagine the worst conditions – and they are surviving in them. Not just officers, think about the jawans as well.
They stand the whole night in extremely low temperatures. It doesn’t matter how they are feeling or what their families are going through. They are often unable to talk to them over the phone due to poor network. They live far away from the basic needs of life, just to keep their families secure and earn a living.
After All This… What Do They Get?
And after retirement, if that person has zero or minimal knowledge about investments and the market, what has he actually secured for himself and his family?
Now the market will decide what kind of life he is going to live after retirement.
Same Border, Similar Risk… Different Security
Not against any force, but at the same border, in the same temperature, one man from the army has the peace of mind that at least after retirement he will receive a fixed pension.
But standing beside him, a CAPF man – whether an officer or a jawan – feels insecure about his future.
They may not have identical roles, but they are often working in similar high-risk conditions. The same kind of environment, similar risks, but different future security.
Same sacrifice, but not the same certainty.
Are They Really “Normal” Government Employees?
These personnel also undergo commando courses – the toughest training, similar to that of the army. But are they really being considered as fauji, or just normal government employees? Is this what a normal government employee looks like? Do they also perform such difficult tasks?
Obviously, different roles come with different challenges and lifestyles. But think about these personnel – they are doing demanding duties and living in extreme conditions.
Then why such a big difference? This is something to think about.
OPS vs NPS: The Real Difference
Since 2004, most government employees (except armed forces) have been covered under NPS.
Now, if a person who joined after January 2004 invests around 10% of his salary for pension under NPS (with the government contributing around 14%), he still has no clear idea of what he will receive after retirement.
Returns can go up or down, and if the market performs poorly, the pension will be lower. It is not fixed. Earlier, under OPS, a fixed pension – around 50% of the last salary – was given by the government.
So the difference is clear:
- Pension was fixed in OPS.
- Pension depends on the market in NPS.
- No risk in OPS.
- Definite risk in NPS.
