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Four-hour sleep, abusive boss: Study on stressed BSF jawans
Even as stress-related fratricide incidents continue in Paramilitary forces, a Government study has found more than 70 per cent of BSF personnel were under-sleeping and facing abusive and harsh behaviour from their seniors.
The study chronicles many damning revelations on the state and fitness of BSF troopers, who guard two of the most crucial Indian frontiers along Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The first-of-its-kind study on ‘Emotional Intelligence and Occupational Stress’ of BSF jawans and officers also narrates various reasons for the “high” stress the troopers, deployed along inhospitable and risky locations, face.
“The study shows that the overall levels of stress are quite high in the force... This study itself is just a beginning, touching the tip of the iceberg. It did not have the required time and very accurate tools to measure the stress levels in the force. Still it is indicative of the problem being faced (by the BSF),” the report, recently submitted to the Home Ministry, said.
“More than 70 per cent report not getting adequate rest and sleep and the number is larger for the Other Ranks (jawans and constables). Many mentioned getting as little as four-hour sleep on a regular basis. Such physical exhaustion and sleep deprivation leads to chronic stress and affects performance badly,” the report said.
The 136-page study also found that an average BSF jawan has to face bad behaviour, abusive language and that he fears a syndrome — not to commit a single error.
A total of 161 jawans and officers out of the 1.7-lakh personnel from both western and eastern frontiers took part in the study which was done on the hypothesis that “people with higher emotional intelligence will have lower occupational stress” and to suggest measures to tackle fratricide and suicide cases in the forces.
Senior IPS officer and Inspector General in the BPRD, Manoj Chhabra conducted the study. The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) is the apex body under the Home Ministry for undertaking development projects in subjects plaguing Indian police forces.
Even as stress-related fratricide incidents continue in Paramilitary forces, a Government study has found more than 70 per cent of BSF personnel were under-sleeping and facing abusive and harsh behaviour from their seniors.
The study chronicles many damning revelations on the state and fitness of BSF troopers, who guard two of the most crucial Indian frontiers along Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The first-of-its-kind study on ‘Emotional Intelligence and Occupational Stress’ of BSF jawans and officers also narrates various reasons for the “high” stress the troopers, deployed along inhospitable and risky locations, face.
“The study shows that the overall levels of stress are quite high in the force... This study itself is just a beginning, touching the tip of the iceberg. It did not have the required time and very accurate tools to measure the stress levels in the force. Still it is indicative of the problem being faced (by the BSF),” the report, recently submitted to the Home Ministry, said.
“More than 70 per cent report not getting adequate rest and sleep and the number is larger for the Other Ranks (jawans and constables). Many mentioned getting as little as four-hour sleep on a regular basis. Such physical exhaustion and sleep deprivation leads to chronic stress and affects performance badly,” the report said.
The 136-page study also found that an average BSF jawan has to face bad behaviour, abusive language and that he fears a syndrome — not to commit a single error.
A total of 161 jawans and officers out of the 1.7-lakh personnel from both western and eastern frontiers took part in the study which was done on the hypothesis that “people with higher emotional intelligence will have lower occupational stress” and to suggest measures to tackle fratricide and suicide cases in the forces.
Senior IPS officer and Inspector General in the BPRD, Manoj Chhabra conducted the study. The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) is the apex body under the Home Ministry for undertaking development projects in subjects plaguing Indian police forces.
