New Delhi, Aug 10 - The troopers who guard India's borders and fight terrorists are faced with a huge shortage of doctors, often resulting in deaths due to delay in treatment. Now, the country's seven paramilitary forces hope to reduce casualties with the move to set up their own medical college.

'We have recently sent a proposal to the home ministry to set up our own medical institute where children of officers of paramilitary forces would be trained as doctors. A small percentage of civilians would also be given admission,' M.L. Kumawat, who retired as director general of the paramilitary Border Security Force (BSF) July 31, told IANS.

The institute will be on the lines of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune.

'The government has liked the idea very much and has in principle given the approval to set up the medical institute. They have asked for a detailed proposal and concerned officers are meticulously working on it now,' said Kumawat, who was also chairman of recruitment board for hiring doctors for the central paramilitary forces this year.

Kumawat said there is a sanctioned strength of over 1,900 medical officers in the seven paramilitary forces -- BSF, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Security Guard (NSG), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Assam Riffles.

However, over 700 posts are lying vacant and there is no doctor available to troopers in many far-flung areas.

'One of the reasons these positions are lying vacant is we don't get good candidates. Even if we do, they don't turn up at the time of joining. The other reason is they do not want to go to far-flung areas because of which timely medical services don't reach troopers,' Kumawat said.