According to official sources, the board, which will operate on the lines of the State Gaun Seva Mandal (State Subordinate Services Selection Board), will recruit 9,000 to 10,000 constables and 1,200 to 1,300 sub-inspectors in the next two years.

While Ashish Bhatia, IGP (Crime) has been assigned the responsibility for recruitment of sub-inspectors, Atul Karwal, Joint Commissioner (Ahmedadbad Traffic) has been asked to supervise the recruitments of constables.

When approached, Bhatia said that the recruitment process was yet to be started. The Mandal had started the same recruitment process earlier, but it took it a lot more time to handle the recruitment of constables and sub-inspectors as it is also responsible for the selection of personnel in all the departments of the state government.

The board has been set up keeping in view the shortage of at least 30 per cent that the police are facing in the state, particularly in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot. The setting up of the PRB was confirmed by Amitabh Pathak, Additional Director General of Police (Administration).

Police officers have been given the responsibility in order to speed up the recruitment process and fill up the backlog. Citing the success of the Police Housing Corporation that was set up to tackle the housing needs of the police department, officers said that an exclusive Police Recruitment Board will be able to handle the recruitment process and ensure that the police do not face shortage of personnel in the same way.

Senior officers feel that while shortage of personnel can be allowed in other departments, it cannot be permitted in the police department in view of the changing security scenario and the state being on the radar of international terror outfits.

Moreover, officials said that shortage at the constable and sub-inspector level cannot be allowed as these are the people who play the most important role in handling the law and order situation at the ground level.

They added that since more than 1,500 police constables and sub-inspectors retire every year, these posts should be filled up regularly. Extra personnel should also be recruited due to the fast growth of cities like Ahmedabad and Surat.

The two cities, which are growing at an approximate rate of at least 10 per cent annually, require additional police force for effective management of law and order in the new areas that have been added to the cities.

Officers, however, feel that regular recruitment in the police department is possible only if there is a separate agency for it. This is because the recruits have to be trained and educated in legal and human rights issues before being deployed at police stations and outposts.