PSARA

Private Security
Agencies [Regulation]
Act, 2005
 1. Duties of Security Guard

What are the duties of a Private Security Guard?

The duties of a private security guard are:

a. to provide private security to another person or property or both:
b. to render necessary assistance to the police in the process of any
investigation pertaining to the activities of the agency in which
he is employed;
c. to bring to the notice of his supervisor the violation of any law
noticed by him during the course of discharge of his duties.
d. not to divulge to any one other than the employer any
information acquired by him during his employment with respect
to the work which he has been assigned by the employer. [Ss. 2(h)
&18]
Are there any provisions in the Act for engagement of supervisors
in addition to engagement of security guards?

Every security agency is requires to engage supervisors to supervise

the work of security guards. The security agency is required to
impart the necessary training and skills to the supervisors. It seems
that the supervisors are required not only to supervise the work of
the security guards but also to assist advise them. While engaging
supervisors preference shall be given to a person who has
experience of serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, any other
Armed Forces of the Union or State Police including armed
constabularies and Home Guards for a period of not less that three
years. The Maharashtra Rules made under the Act provide that
there shall be one supervise the work of not more than twenty
security guards. [S.9, R.7]
Who is considered Eligible to be a Security Guard or
Supervisor?

A detailed description of the persons who are eligible or

ineligible to be a security guard or supervisor is given in
Section 10 of the Act. A security agency shall not employ or
engage any person as a security guard or supervisor unless
he is eligible to be so employed or engaged.
 2. Condition for commencement of operation
and engagement of supervisors
1. Every private security agency shall, within six month of
obtaining the license, commence its activities.
2. Every private security agency shall ensure imparting of
such training and skills to its private security guards and
supervisors as may be prescribed:
Provided that the person carrying on the business of
private security agency, before the commencement of this
Act, shall ensure the required training to its security
guards and supervisors within a period of one years from
the date of such commencement.
3. Every private security agency shall, within sixty days from
the date of issue of the license, employ such number of
supervisors, as may be prescribed.
4. A private security agency shall not employ or engage a
person as a supervisor unless he fulfils the conditions
specified in sub section (1) of section 10.

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 3. Eligibility to be a private security guards
1. A private security agency shall not employ or engage any
person as a private security guard unless he

a)is a citizen of India or a citizen of such other country as the

b)has completed eighteen years of age but has not attained

c)satisfied the agency about his character and antecedents in

d)has completed the prescribed security training

e)fulfill such physical standards as may be prescribed;

f)satisfy such other conditions as may be prescribed.
2. No person who has been convicted by a competent court or
who has been dismissed or removed on grounds of
misconduct, or moral turpitude while serving in any of the
armed forces of the Union, State Police Organization,
Central or State Governments or in any private security
agency shall be employed or engaged as per private
security guard or a supervisor.
3. Every private security agency may, while employing a
person as a private security guard, give performance to a
person who has served as a member in one or more of the
following, namely-

i. Army iv. any other armed forces of the Union

ii. Navy v. Police
iii. Air forces vi. Home Guards
 4. Register to be maintained by a private
security agency
1. Every private security agency shall maintain a register
containing -
a. the name and addresses of the persons managing the
private security agency;
b. the names, addresses, photographs and salaries of the
private security guards and supervisors under its control;
c. the names and addresses of the persons whom it had
provided private security guards or services
d. Such other particulars as may be prescribed.
2. The controlling Authority may call for such information as it
considers necessary from any private security agency,
supervisor or private security guard to ensure due compliance
of the Act.
5. Issue of photo identity card

1. Every private security guard shall be issued a photo

identity card, by the private security agency employing
or engaging the guard.
2. The photo identity card under sub section (1) shall be
issued in such form as may be prescribed.
3. Every private security guard or supervisor shall carry on
his person the photo identity card issued under sub-
section (1) and shall produce it on demand for inspection
by the Controlling Authority or any other officer
authorized by it in this behalf.
 6. Disclosure of Information to unauthorized person
1. Any person who may be or has been employed or engaged as a
private security guard by the private security agency shall not
divulge to any one other than the employer, or in such manner and
to such person as the employer directs, any information acquired by
him during such employment with respect to the work which he has
been assigned by such employer, except such disclosure as may be
required under this Act or in connection with any inquiry or
investigation by the police or as may be required by an authority or
process of law
2. All private security guards of a private security agency shall render
necessary assistance to the police or to such authority in the process
of any investigation pertaining to the activities of that agency.
3. If violation of any law is noticed by any private security guard
during the course of discharge of his duties, he shall bring it to the
notice of his superior, who in turn shall inform the police either
through his employer or agency or on his own.
 7. Security Training
1. The Controlling Authority shall frame the detailed training
syllabus required for training the security guards. This training
shall be for a minimum period of hundred hours of classroom
instruction and sixty hours of field training. Spread over at least
twenty working days. The ex-servicemen and former police
personnel shall however be required to attend a condensed
course only, of minimum forty hours of classroom instructions
and sixteen hours of field training spread over at least seven
working days.
2. The training will include the following subject, namely:
a. conduct in public and correct wearing of uniform;
b. physical fitness training
c. physical security, security of assets, security of the building
or apartment, personnel security, household security;
d. fire fighting e. crowd control
f. examining identification papers including identity cards,
passports and smart cards;
g. should be able to read and understand English alphabets and
Arabic numerals as normally encountered in the identification
documents, arms license, travel documents and security
inspection sheet;
h. identification of improvised explosive devices;
i. first- aid
j. crises response and disaster management;
k. defensive driving (compulsory for the driver of Armored
vehicle and optional for others)
l. handling and operation of non- prohibited weapons and
firearms (optional);
m. rudimentary knowledge of Indian Penal Code, right to private
defense, procedure of lodging FIR, arms Act, Explosives Act
n. badges of rank in police and military forces;
o. identification of different types of arms in use in public and
Police.
p. Use of security equipment and devices (Alarm & Equipment)
q. leadership and management (for supervisor only)

r. The security guard will have to successfully undergo the

training prescribed by the competent Authority. On completion
of the training each successful trainee will be awarded a
certificate in Form IV by the training institute or organization.
s. The competent authority will inspect the functioning of training
facility from time to time either by itself or through its own
officers. Normally such inspection will be conducted at least
two times every year.
t. All the Agencies shall submit a list of successful trainees to the
Controlling Authority in the manner prescribed by it.
 8. Standard of physical fitness for security guards
1. A person shall be eligible for being engaged or employed as
security guard if he fulfils the standards of physical fitness as
specified below:
i. Height, 160 cms (for female 150 cms), weight accordingly to
standard table of height & weight, chest 80 cms with an
expention of 4 cms
ii. Eye sight: Far sight vision 6/6, near vision 0.6/0.6 with or
without correction, free from colour blindness should be able to
identify and distinguish colour display in security equipment
and read and understand display in English alphabets and
Arabic numerals.
iii. Free from knock knee and flat foot and should be able to run
one kilometers in six minutes.
iv. Hearing: Free from defects; should be able to hear & respond to
the spoken voice & the alarm generated by security equipmnet.
 v. The candidates should have dexterity & strength to perform
searches, handle objects and use force for restraining the
individuals in case of need.

2. A candidates should be free from evidence of any contagious or

infectious disease. He should not be suffering from any disease
which is likely to be aggravated by service or is likely to render
him unfit for service or endanger the health of the public.
3. Agency shall ensure that every security guard working for it
undergoes a medical examination after every twelve months
from his last such examination so as to ensure his continued
maintenance of physical standard as prescribed for the entry
level.
 9. Other Condition
1. Notwithstanding whether the Agency mandates its private
security guards to put on uniform while on duty or not, every
private security agency will issue and make it obligatory for its
security guards to put on:

a. an arms badge distinguisher the Agency

b. shoulder or chest badge to indicate his position in the
organization.
c. whistle attached to the whistle cord and to be kept in the left
pocket
d. shoes with eyelet and laces
e. a headgear which may also carry the distinguisher mark of
the Agency.
2. The clothes worm by the private security guard while on
active duty shall be such that they do not hamper in his
efficient performance. In particular they will neither be too
tight nor too loose as to obstruct movement or bending of
limbs.
3. Every private security guard will carry a notebook and
writing instrument with him.
4. Every private security guard while on active security duty
will wear and display photo- identity card issued under
Section 17 of the Act, on the outer most garment above
waist level on his person in s conspicuous manner.
Rajeshwar Singh