Guwahati, August 16, 2024 — The Assam Police has commenced its Body Mass Index (BMI) assessment for 2024 in Guwahati, aiming for a healthier force. This year’s assessment, which started today, builds on last year’s results, where 1.6% of personnel (1,223 out of 76,313) were classified as obese, with a BMI of 30 or higher.
The 2024 process is streamlined to be more efficient, relying on pre-recorded height data from 2023, with only weight measurements required this year. An example of progress includes one officer who saw a slight improvement in their BMI from 25.12 in 2023 to 25.02 this year.
Assam Director General of Police (DGP) G.P. Singh announced earlier this month that the BMI assessments would start on August 16, with assessments for personnel in other districts to follow in three phases beginning August 17.
Singh highlighted that the goal of the assessments is to enhance fitness standards, noting the successful completion of the previous assessments, which saw a pass rate of 97.53%. Although there was initial discussion about possible voluntary retirements for those failing future phases, Singh emphasized that the focus remains on improving discipline and fitness rather than penalizing personnel.
“Our aim is to progressively raise fitness standards, and with the success of the initial phases, we are confident that Assam Police will become one of the fittest forces in the country,” Singh stated.