CISF to shape up its personnel

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) plans to reinvigorate steps taken by its medical department to classify the medical fitness and health level maintained by its personnel.

The CISF’s medical department had launched a criterion titled SHAPE a few years ago under which officers would be classified according to their fitness levels. Now plans have been made to enforce SHAPE since diseases are taking a heavy toll on its workforce.

According to a CISF official, SHAPE covers psychiatric issues, hearing capacity, eye-sight, appendages pertaining to problems with upper or lower limbs, hypertension, cardiac disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer.“Under this programme, each official would be classified as either SHAPE 1 or SHAPE 2. Shape 1 will represent those who maintain the right health and fitness level. Those who fall into the SHAPE 2 category will be allowed to gain the desired fitness level within 24 weeks.

The officials who fail to do so remains in the SHAPE 2 status and will be monitored for another two years. If they attain the required fitness levels, they will be placed in the SHAPE 2 temporary category. After six months, they will be promoted to SHAPE 1.

If the personnel belonging to SHAPE 2 does not improve, they would be further demoted to SHAPE 3 and be monitored for another two years. If they there is no improvement, they would be graded as SHAPE 5 and will be terminated from service. SHAPE 4 is a category for people who are temporarily ill or hospitalised,” the official said. Similarly, any person overweight by 10-20 per cent, taking into consideration age and height, will be given 10 weeks for weight reduction.

If the required weight is not achieved, he will be put in SHAPE 2 category. If there is no improvement after another 74 weeks, metabolic check-ups would be prescribed. A decision on the person’s service would be taken after the test.

“Though the order in connection with SHAPE first came in 2009, it was not implemented. There are plans to maintain good fitness levels among personnel in a strict manner,” CISF official said.