SRINAGAR: Over 23,000 personnel have resigned from India’s paramilitary forces in the past 11 years, with the Border Security Force (BSF) recording the highest number of exits at nearly 7,500, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed Parliament in the just concluded session.
In statistics tabled in the Lok Sabha earlier this month in response to questions from Trinamool Congress MP Yusuf Pathan, the MHA also reported around 440 suicides and seven cases of fratricide across paramilitary forces since 2023.
The data shows that the National Security Guards (NSG) have recorded no resignations since 2014, while the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) ranks second with 7,456 resignations. BSF leads with 7,493 resignations. Other paramilitary forces recorded the following figures between 2014 and 2025: Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) – 4,137; Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) – 1,967; Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) – 1,936; and Assam Rifles – 371. The total resignations across seven paramilitary forces amounted to 23,360.
The highest number of resignations was reported in 2024, while 3,077 personnel have resigned so far in 2025. The fewest resignations occurred in 2020, with 959. Resignations remained below 2,000 annually between 2016 and 2022, but increased to 2,471 in 2023.
Regarding suicides between 2023 and 2025, the highest number—157—occurred in 2023, followed by 148 in 2024 and 133 in 2025. The CRPF reported the most cases, with 159 suicides, followed by BSF with 120 and CISF with 60. Seven fratricide cases were reported during the same period, with four occurring this year. CRPF and Assam Rifles recorded two each, while SSB, ITBP, and BSF reported one case each.
Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said personnel generally work eight-hour shifts, although hours may vary depending on operational requirements. He added that the battalion structure provides necessary leave and training reserves, with personnel in the field entitled to 75 days of leave annually, including 60 days of earned leave and 15 days of casual leave, compared with 30 days of earned leave and eight days of casual leave for other government servants.
