Meritorious service credentials and distinguished track record may not make an officer elegible for the President's Police Medal, any more. Officers will now have to shed flab and workout hard to get nominated for the coveted medal.
An order of the Ministry of home Affairs on Wednesday clearly stated that no potbellied jawan or officer of a police department, central paramilitary force or central agency should be nominated for the medal.
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The medal, awarded annually on Republic Day and Independence Day, is considered the highest recognition for gallantry in the police.
The order stated that that police personnel should be physically fit and must be in a 'Shape 1' category to be considered for the President's Police Medal.
According to the 'Shape 1' category, the officers or soldier's medical condition that is S (Psychiatric), H (Hearing), A (Appendages), P (Physical capacity) and E (Eyesight) should be in its best form. Therefore, to be posted for any duty, the personnel should not have a flab at all.
Besides being physically fit, the Ministry has said that police and paramilitary officers across all states and Union territories should also have a clean image.
The guidelines, which states clearly that physical fitness is one of the the pre-requisites for officers engaged in law enforcement and investigations to be recommended for the medal, has been sent to all state police departments, forces like NSG, CISF, BSF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB and agencies like RA&W, IB, CBI and NIA.
The ministry has also asked the sponsored organisations to issue a separate certificate on medical fitness in order to be considered worthy for the President's Police Medal.
However, the government has said that relaxation for "Shape 2" can be given only in exceptional circumstances.
"Shape 2" is fit for all duties but may have limitations as to the type of duties and areas of employment depending on whether the duties involve severe stress or demand acuity of hearing or vision, reported Times of India.
A security personnel who earns the President's Police Medal for distinguished service is granted around Rs 2,500 increase in their monthly salary and pension. On the other hand, a personnel who is hailed for meritorious services medal gets a certificate.
