Patna: The Bihar government has approved a large-scale expansion of its Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) force, sanctioning the recruitment of 17,000 personnel on contract to address staffing shortages in the state police. The move, cleared by the state cabinet, is intended to strengthen law enforcement and improve operational readiness across Bihar.
Officials said the number of SAP personnel will increase nearly tenfold from the current strength of 1,717. The decision comes at a time when a significant portion of newly appointed constables remains engaged in training, reducing the availability of active-duty personnel for field operations and routine policing.
Under the plan, the state will appoint 150 Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), 16,300 SAP jawans and 550 cooks. All appointments will be made on a contractual basis during the 2026–27 financial year. Authorities believe the additional workforce will help bridge immediate gaps in deployment and support regular police units in maintaining law and order.
In a policy shift, eligibility for recruitment has been widened beyond retired army personnel. The government will now also consider retired members of India’s paramilitary forces, a move aimed at tapping into a larger pool of trained and experienced candidates who can be quickly deployed with minimal additional training.
The state has also revised the monthly honorarium for SAP staff. JCOs will receive Rs 35,000, jawans Rs 30,000 and cooks Rs 25,000 per month. Officials said the revised pay structure is designed to attract skilled applicants while ensuring the force remains operationally effective.
The recruitment drive is expected to provide an immediate boost to policing capacity and reinforce public safety measures across the state, particularly in districts facing manpower constraints.
