CISF will test stress levels

The realisation about high stress level in Industrial force has prompted the CISF to launch an initiative to effectively respond to emotional crises within the force. The force has introduced psychoanalytic tests for its personnel for better Stress Management .

A Karandekar, deputy commandant of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), lost his life when Raj Namdeo, a constable in the force, shot him at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai three years ago.

The 22-year-old constable had been denied leave and killed his senior in a burst of anger. Such breakdowns, experts say, stem from a condition that every CISF employee suffers from — stress. SIS Ahmed, director-general of the CISF, admits that stress and fatigue make personnel lose their cool often.


According to official figures, around 600 incidents of death, assault, and scuffle have been reported as the outcome of stress in the last four years. “This test will help us determine the stress-absorbing capacity of the personnel and place them accordingly in low- or high-stress sectors,” Ahmed said.

Another reason why stress is a major health concern in the CISF is its effect on performance. “Long working hours and limited sleep lead to fatigue,” said a consulting general surgeon for the CISF.