The new directives will also come to the aid of those personnel from CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles who have 'acquired' colour blindness after being recruited in these central forces.
Colour blindness is either genetic or is 'acquired' over a period of time.
"The revised policy guidelines for eye vision have been charted after deliberations with all the forces and taking all aspects into count. The new norms will not only help reduce litigation but will also help these forces retain their talented workforce who report weak eyesight," CISF Director (Medical) Dr Navin Ram told PTI.
Ram, who has worked on the subject for the last four years, recently got the endorsement on his research from Additional Director General (Medical) Dr B S Pandey, which states that with the advent of sophisticated weapons and vision correction surgeries like LASIK, a personnel with weak vision is not essentially hampered in proper discharge of duties.
Moreover, those personnel recruited for non-combat duties like law, education, animal transport, barber, washermen and sweeper do not require an absolutely flawless vision in rendering their duties.
"The matter has been examined in this ministry (Home) and it has been felt that there cannot be one standard (vision) for all the force personnel who are recruited in various cadres. Furthermore, with the recent techniques and the advancement in the field of eye surgery, there are many methods now available for correction of distant vision like LASIK," the new policy directives said. MORE
