India's Defence Security Corps to grow by 30 percent

In a major expansion, the Defence Security Corps (DSC), which performs exclusively the role of securing defence offices and critical strategic installations, will grow to about 42,000 men in the next four years from its present strength of 31,000 men, government officials told IANS.

The proposed accretion to the force was approved this year and the effort to recruit 9,900 more men before 2015 commenced on Aug 1, they said.

With the new recruits, the DSC plans to raise additional 330 platoons of around 30 men each in the next four years.

Usually, the DSC recruits army personnel who retire at a very young age, to provide them an opportunity at re-employment.

"Raising of additional 330 platoons for the DSC has been approved by the government and it has commenced from Aug. 1. The process will be completed in four years from now," one official said.

The DSC, previously known as Defence Department Constabulary Centre, was raised in April 1947 at Mathura in Uttar Pradesh to ensure the protection and security of designated defence installations against sabotage and pilferage.

The DSC performs this duty in addition to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at India's nuclear laboratories and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) establishments.

While, the CISF is purely a civilian central government security force under the home ministry, the DSC is a force under the defence ministry and comprises mainly superannuated soldiers, who are re-employed for a few years.