CIVIL DEFENCE VOLUNTEERS

Subject: Current Events

Context: Argument between students, Delhi Civil Defence volunteers turns violent.

Concept:

Civil Defence operates under the Civil Defence Act and associated rules and regulations.
The Act was amended in 2009 and a notification was issued in 2010 to include disaster management as an additional role.
Civil Defence is primarily organised on voluntary basis except for a small nucleus of paid staff and establishment which is augmented during emergencies.

Administration:

Although it is a Central law, Section 4 of the Civil Defence Act empowers State governments to raise corps at the local administration level as per their requirement. The District Magistrate, District Collector or Deputy Commissioner is designated as Controller of the Civil Defence.

Eligibility for becoming a Civil Defence Volunteer:

A person who intends to apply for appointment to a Civil Defence Corps must fulfil the following conditions;
s/he shall be a citizen of India, or a subject or Sikkim or of Bhutan or of Nepal.
s/he shall have completed the age of 18 years provided that this age limit may be relaxed at the discretion of the competent authority up to a maximum of 3 years for any branch or category of the Corps.
s/he shall have passed at least the primary standard, that is to say, the fourth class, and this condition may be relaxed by the Controller at this discretion.
Both men and women shall be eligible for appointment to the Corps.