New Delhi: In one of the biggest recruitment drives in central security forces, the government has decided to recruit over 54,000 jawans in armed police forces like the CRPF, BSF and ITBP among others this year.

Out of the total 54,953 vacancies advertised by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC), the maximum are for the country's largest paramilitary force-- the CRPF at 21,566 posts.

A total of 47,307 vacancies are for men and 7,646 are for women in the constable (general duty) cadre in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Assam Rifles (posts to be called Rifleman), National Investigation Agency and the Secretariat Security Force.

"The central forces, called the central armed police forces (CAPFs) and central police organisations (CPOs), are set for further expansion by raising of new battalions and hence these new vacancies have been advertised by the government after sanction from the Union home ministry," a senior official said.

Applicants in the age group of 18-23 years and who have completed class 10 successfully, with a few exceptions and reservations, can apply for these posts.

The salary offered, as per the SSC advertisement, is in the matrix of Rs 21,700-69,100.

The candidates will undertake a computer-based exam, physical efficiency test, physical standard test and a final medical test before being inducted into these forces/organisations that are deployed as part of securing the internal security grid of the country under the command of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The last date to apply for these vacancies is August 20.

The CAPFs are deployed for guarding borders, undertaking anti-Naxal operations, assisting in law and order duties, protecting high-value infrastructure and assets apart from a variety of other security tasks across the country.

The NIA is the federal terror probe agency and the SSF provides security staff to central government establishments