Description

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Context :

Recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the relocation of Assam Rifles battalions to Mizoram.

About Assam Rifles :

Assam Rifles is one of the 6 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
It mainly conducts counterinsurgency operations in northeastern India.
It's operational control is with the Indian Army. & it is commanded by an officer rank of Lieutenant General.
The Director General of Assam Rifles (DGAR) is in Shillong.
It is an exception because other CAPF forces have their headquarters in New Delhi.

History of Assam Rifles:

It was Founded in 1835 as the Cachar Levy. It is a militia formed to protect British tea estates & settlements from tribal raids.
It evolved into the Frontier Force across the Assam border.
In 1870, it was reorganized into 3 Assam Military Police Battalions.
It contributed over 3000 personnel to the British Army during World War I.
In 1917, it was officially renamed as Assam Rifles.
Post-Independence: Assam Rifles also participated in the Sino India War (1962).
And It also became part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka in 1987.
The force has grown from 17 battalions in 1960 to 46 battalions today.
It is showing its expanded role in peacekeeping & counterinsurgency operations in northeastern India.

About Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF):

The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are 7 security forces in India under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Each is given responsibility for specific duties related to border security, law enforcement, & national defense.
These forces have their own cadre of officers but they are primarily headed by officers of the Indian Police Service (IPS).

Retirement Age:
The Union Home Ministry has set the retirement age for CAPF personnel at 60 years.

CAPF Components :

Force	Year of Establishment	Main Role/Function	Key Contributions
Assam Rifles (AR)	1835	Primarily protecting British Tea estates, and guarding the North-Eastern borders.	Played roles in Sino-India War (1962), IPKF in Sri Lanka (1987), and peacekeeping in North-East India.
Border Security Force (BSF)	1965	Guarding India's borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.	Largest border guarding force in the world; termed as First Line of Defence.
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)	1969	Providing security to PSUs, critical infrastructure, and government installations.	Secures nuclear installations, airports, and heritage sites; involved in disaster management.
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)	1939	Maintaining public order and internal security.	Crowd control, riot control, insurgency operations, and disaster relief. Participated in UN peacekeeping.
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)	1962	Guarding the Indo-China border in high altitudes.	Specialized in mountain warfare and rescue operations in disaster-prone areas.
National Security Guard (NSG)	1986 (Established as NSG after 1984)	Counter-terrorism operations.	Handles terrorism across India, specialized for swift strikes and rescues.
Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)	1963	Safeguarding remote border areas of India, particularly in the East.	Prevents trans-border crimes, illegal immigration, and aids in law & order and counter-insurgency.

Source: statesman

Practice Question

Q. Under which Ministry does Assam Rifles operate?

A) Ministry of Defence
B) Ministry of Home Affairs
C) Ministry of External Affairs
D) Ministry of Finance

Answer: B) Ministry of Home Affairs

Explanation: Assam Rifles is one of the 6 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). and it operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for administrative purposes.