CISF Full Form
Central Industrial Security Force
What does CISF stand for? A government term, explained.
CISF Full Form in English, letter by letter
CISF is the Central Industrial Security Force, a central armed police force that guards airports, metros, ports and key industrial sites.
CISF Full Form in Indian Languages
In Hindi it is the Kendriya Audyogik Suraksha Bal, usually shortened to CISF on boards and uniforms. Here is the full name in six Indian languages.
Built to protect factories
The force was set up by an Act of Parliament in March 1969 with a strength of 2,800 and was put on a fuller footing by another Act in 1983. The reason was simple: public-sector plants needed a dedicated guard, and the plan was to protect industries owned wholly by the central government. That limit was later relaxed to include joint ventures in which the government holds a stake.
Its remit has widened a great deal. Today it covers airports, seaports, metro systems, key government buildings, heritage monuments, nuclear plants and space establishments, along with VIP security and disaster management. It has also been used for election duty. Reported strength is well over a lakh and a half personnel, and the government has raised the sanctioned number to 2 lakh.
From a hijacking to the airport counter
Most travellers meet the CISF at the airport security check. Airport security used to belong to state airport police. The idea of handing it to the CISF first came up after the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, and Jaipur became the first airport under CISF cover on 3 February 2000. Other commercial airports followed in the years after, and the force now secures around 70 of them.
The Delhi Metro is the other place people notice it. The CISF took over there from Delhi Police in 2007, with X-ray baggage scanners, metal detectors and dog squads. Since 20 May 2024 it has also guarded the whole Parliament House complex, after a security breach led to the withdrawal of the earlier duty group.
What you see at an airport check
At the airport, CISF personnel check boarding passes at the entry gate, run baggage scanners and frisk passengers at the security hold area. Laptops and some other electronic devices usually have to come out of the bag for the scan, and liquids and sharp objects are restricted. Women passengers are frisked by women personnel in screened booths.
The force also runs bomb-detection and dog squads. If an officer asks you to open a bag, it is a routine step, and arguing at the counter only slows the queue. For what you may carry in cabin baggage, check the current list published by the aviation security regulator before you travel.
The fire wing most people forget
In January 1970 a major fire at the Heavy Engineering Corporation plant in Ranchi led a commission to recommend a fire service. The first CISF fire unit of 53 personnel went to FACT in Kochi that April, and a proper fire cadre began on 12 January 1991. The wing now looks after a large number of industrial units and, like the rest of the force, has crews trained in rescue as well as firefighting. Of all the central armed police forces, only the CISF has a full fire wing.
Ports, private firms and women
The CISF guards the major ports, and the government has approved extending its cover to the other ports that handle export and import cargo. Private companies can hire it too: the 2009 amendment allowed paid cover for private and cooperative establishments, and the Infosys campus in Bengaluru was first, followed by Reliance's Jamnagar refinery and the Delhi Airport Express Line.
Women were once limited to supervisory roles. Asha Sinha became the first woman commandant of a central armed police force in 1992, and in January 2016 the government decided that 33 percent of constabulary posts in the CRPF and CISF would be reserved for women, in phases. Women are posted more at airports and metro stations, where staff deal with the public most.
How it is organised
The force works through sectors and units across the country. Zones are run by Deputy Inspectors-General and units by Commandants, while a Director-General heads the force. Training takes place at the National Industrial Security Academy and other centres. CISF personnel have also served abroad, including with the UN mission in Haiti.
How to join the CISF
Entry is at three main levels. Constables and tradesmen are recruited through the Staff Selection Commission's constable (GD) exam or through CISF's own notifications, with a physical test and medical exam. Assistant Sub-Inspectors are filled by departmental exams and direct recruitment. Officers join as Assistant Commandants through the Central Armed Police Forces exam conducted by UPSC. Age limits, physical standards and vacancy numbers change with every notification, so read the latest one on the CISF recruitment page before you apply.
CISF is the Central Industrial Security Force, which started as a guard for factories and now secures airports, metros, ports and Parliament. Numbers and deployments change often, so check the official CISF website for the latest.
CISF Full Form: Common Questions
What is the full form of CISF?
Central Industrial Security Force is the full form of CISF. It is a central armed police force under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
What does CISF guard?
Industrial units, airports, seaports, metro systems, government buildings, nuclear and space establishments, and heritage sites such as the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort.
Who heads the CISF?
A Director-General, who is an Indian Police Service officer. The force also has Additional Directors-General and sector heads at the rank of Inspector-General.
Is CISF the same as CRPF?
No. Both are central armed police forces, but CRPF is mainly used for internal security and law and order, while CISF guards specific facilities.
When did the CISF start guarding airports?
Jaipur became the first airport under CISF cover on 3 February 2000. Most commercial airports followed, and the force now secures around 70 of them.
Does the CISF have a fire service?
Yes. It is the only central armed police force with a full fire wing. Its first unit of 53 personnel was set up in 1970 at FACT in Kochi.
Can private companies get CISF cover?
Yes, for a fee, since an amendment passed by Parliament in 2009. Infosys in Bengaluru was the first private campus.