Delhi Commission for Women summons Indian Bank over 'discriminatory' guidelines against pregnant women

In June-end, the panel took suo-moto cognisance of the bank's discriminatory guidelines

The Delhi Commission for Women has summoned the Indian Bank for allegedly refusing to withdraw its "discriminatory" guidelines against the recruitment of women.

DCW Chief Swati Maliwal has also written a letter to the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) seeking its urgent intervention into the matter.

In June-end, the panel took suo-moto cognisance of media reports that highlighted the guidelines framed by the bank that prevented women, who were more than three months pregnant, as "temporarily unfit" and would not be given immediate joining upon her selection.

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"This will lead to delay in their joining and subsequently they will lose their seniority," the notice said.

In response, the Indian Bank informed the commission that no such guidelines were issued by them, adding, that they had adopted the already existing DoPT guidelines.

The panel, however, stated that the said guidelines issued in 1958 were revised in 1985 by DoPT to amend the clause which refused joining to a pregnant woman staffer.

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The Indian Bank informed the commission that they are revising their "Fitness Format" to rule out any "ambiguity on eligibility."

The revised format seeks the pregnancy status of women along with their history of diseases of the uterus, cervix, ovaries or breasts.

"Apparently, the revised format also discriminates against women as it seeks details of women-specific diseases while there is no mention of male-specific diseases," the panel said.

Noting that many other banks and departments may be following these archaic guidelines, the commission has recommended that DoPT examines the matter at the earliest and issue urgent clarification to all departments and banks urging them to not impose any restrictions on the joining of pregnant women.

The Commission has also urged DoPT to revise its guidelines in consonance with Code on Social Security, 2022 to prevent any further discrimination against women.