Chennai: Canara Bank has dragged itself into a controversy over its recruitment process that needs a candidate to submit his/her private medical details- including a woman's menstrual history, chest measurement and even evidence of pregnancy.
"It is an affront on the candidates who already have undergone two streams of selection - one written examination and an interview. Then this medical test which was a simple formality was made a screening test on the third count," said CP Krishanan, General Secretary, Bank Employees Federation of India, Tamil Nadu.
That is not all. The medical officer can even bar a candidate from immediate appointment if she was found to be pregnant.
Employee unions and activists have protested this move saying that it amounts to gender discrimination and is also a violation of human rights.
A candidate could also be declared unfit for employment if she or he is suffering from kidney ailments, heart diseases, diabetes, HIV and cancer.
"It is definitely against the law. It is also insensitive and is against the constitutional provision itself, equality before the law and equal protection of law. You cannot discriminate women on the basis of her sex or her procreating ability or otherwise or a person who has HIV or otherwise," said Sudha Ramalingam, Advocate, Madras High Court.
Following a nation-wide protests by bank employee unions, Canara Bank has now withdrawn its 5-page medical form. In a statement to CNN-IBN, Canara Bank said the personal history format has been discontinued and the bank has reverted to its old form.
"We have stopped the personal history format. A simple format which was there earlier has been re-introduced. Candidates joining in future need not submit the format in question," said a part of the statement.
But despite the damage control - the Canara Bank form is another reminder of the discrimination many face.
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