Why Only 3 Castes Can Join the President's Bodyguard (PBG)?

The President's Bodyguard (PBG) is the senior-most regiment of the Indian Army. It is an elite household cavalry unit stationed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, tasked with the protection and ceremonial escort of the President of India.

While the modern Indian Army recruits largely on an "All India, All Class" basis, the PBG remains one of the few regiments that strictly follows a "Fixed Class" composition. This means recruitment for troopers is restricted to three specific castes: Jats, Rajputs, and Jat Sikhs.

1. The Composition Breakdown

The regiment is structured to maintain an equal balance among these three communities. The recruitment of troopers (Soldiers/Sepoys) is divided as follows:

• 33.3% Jats (Hindu Jats)
• 33.3% Rajputs (Hindu Rajputs)
• 33.3% Jat Sikhs

Note: This restriction applies only to the Troopers (soldiers). The Officers (who command the unit) and administrative staff (clerks, tradesmen) can be drawn from any community or region in India.

2. The Reasons Behind the Restriction

The Indian Army has officially defended this policy in the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court. The justification relies on two primary arguments: Historical Legacy and Functional Requirement.

A. Functional Requirement (Uniformity & Pomp)

The PBG is primarily a ceremonial unit. Its most visible role is to escort the President during Republic Day, the Beating Retreat, and visits by foreign heads of state.

• Visual Uniformity: The Army argues that for ceremonial grandeur, the troopers must look identical in build, height, and appearance.
• Physical Standards: The PBG has the strictest physical standards in the Army. The minimum height requirement is 6 feet (183 cm), which is significantly taller than the national average.
• The Argument: The Army asserts that these three specific communities (Jats, Rajputs, and Jat Sikhs) generally have a higher average height and similar physical build, making it easier to maintain the "perfectly uniform" look required for ceremonial parades.

B. Historical Legacy

The PBG is the oldest surviving regiment of the Indian Army, raised in 1773 by Warren Hastings (the first Governor-General of India).

• British Tradition: The British organized the Indian Army into "Martial Classes," creating regiments based on caste (e.g., Dogra Regiment, Sikh Regiment, Jat Regiment). The PBG was formed under these principles.
• Post-Independence Shift: Before 1947, the unit was composed of Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs, and Rajputs. After Partition, the Muslim troopers were transferred to Pakistan (to form the Governor General's Bodyguard there). The vacancies left in the Indian unit were filled by Jats, cementing the current 3-caste system.
• Fixed Class System: While new regiments raised after Independence (like the Parachute Regiment or the Guards) are open to all classes, older regiments were allowed to keep their traditions to maintain unit cohesion and history.

3. Operational Role: More Than Just Show

While the caste restriction is justified by "ceremonial" needs, the PBG is also a fully functional combat unit.

• Paratroopers: Every soldier in the PBG is a qualified paratrooper (airborne soldier).
• Tank Men: They are trained as an armoured unit and can operate tanks and armoured vehicles.
• Combat Experience: The PBG does not just sit at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Detachments of the PBG have served in Siachen Glacier (the world's highest battlefield), with the IPKF in Sri Lanka, and in UN Peacekeeping missions.

4. Legal Challenges

This policy has been challenged in court multiple times by petitioners who were physically qualified (6 feet tall) but rejected because they did not belong to the three specific castes (e.g., Yadavs or Ahirs).

• The Petitioners' Argument: They argue that excluding eligible citizens based on caste violates Article 15 (Prohibition of discrimination) and Article 16 (Equality of opportunity in public employment) of the Constitution.
• The Army's Defense: The Army maintains that the "grouping" is based on functional needs for ceremonial duties, not discrimination. The courts have generally declined to interfere in military policy, acknowledging the unique functional requirements of the President's household troops.

Summary

The restriction is a blend of colonial history and ceremonial aesthetics. The Indian Army maintains that to act as the "show window" of India's military might at the Presidential Palace, the unit requires a specific, uniform physical type found consistently in the Jat, Rajput, and Jat Sikh communities.