Careers in Border Security Force (BSF)

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The border guarding force of India, most commonly known as The Border Security Force alias BSF is a paramilitary force, established on 1st December 1965. Responsible for guarding India's land border during peace time and preventing transnational crime, BSF is a Union Government Agency under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs. It is one among the law enforcement agencies of India and currently stands as the world's largest border guarding force with a strength of 240,000 personnel in 186 battalions, including women personnel. 'Duty Unto Death' is the motto of BSF.

The BSF has three operational arms namely General Branch, Technical Branch and Medical Branch. The General Duty Branch covers all the general duties of BSF. The vigilance charge is also dependent upon them. Technical Branch deals with all the technical work required from time to time for the smooth functioning of the force. This branch looks after the maintenance and repair of equipments for telecommunication and construction purposes. Medical Branch provides all the facilities regarding medical purposes and they undertake all the responsibility for the fitness and well-being of personnel.

The troops of BSF are supported by the Technical arms wing which is in charge of the construction and maintenance of buildings required by the forces, as well as the maintenance of arms and other combat equipment. Personnel of Technical arms are engineers qualified in civil or electronic / electrical engineering. The Signals arm of the BSF is a very important constituent of this force. It is the duty of the signals officer to keep the line of communication working and to pass on information to senior officials at all times and seek the necessary advice on matters relating to internal security.

The major tasks of BSF are :

Peace time:
Promote a sense of security among the people living in the border areas.
Prevent trans border crimes, unauthorized entry into or exit from the territory of India.
Prevent smuggling and any other illegal activity.

In addition to their duties, BSF has been deployed for counter insurgency and internal security duties
War Time:
Holding ground in less threatened sectors.
Protection of vital installations.
Assistance in control of refugees.
Anti-infiltration duties in specified areas.

Men of BSF are trained in patrolling the borders be it on camel back, horse back, on foot, on speed boats or on helicopters. The work is daunting and requires deep commitment. The BSF has assumed a strategic role in vital activities concerning security and defence. It is a prestigious and a dignified profession and being qualified for BSF, is a big dream for most aspiring Indian candidates.

BSF Rank Structure

The Border Security Force (BSF) has officers of different grades and the rank structure of BSF is as follows :