DCW seeks withdrawal of SBI guideline on pregnant women's recruitment; terms it 'illegal'

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Saturday issued a notice to the State Bank of India (SBI) seeking withdrawal of its latest guideline for the recruitment of pregnant women. DCW Chief Swati Maliwal slammed the guideline that prevents women who are over 3 months pregnant from joining service, terming them as 'temporarily unfit'. Maliwal termed the circular ‘anti women’ and demanded immediate withdrawal of the same.

In its notice to SBI, the DCW noted that it has taken suo-moto cognizance of the new guidelines and demanded the cancellation of the same. The notice further noted that the guideline discriminated against people on the basis of gender, which was a violation of a fundamental right. Chief Swati Maliwal while sharing the notice, said that the new SBI circular is both discriminatory and illegal.

Sharing the notice on her Twitter handle, the DCW chief wrote, "State Bank of India seems to have issued guidelines preventing women who are over 3 months pregnant from joining service & have termed them as 'temporarily unfit'. This is both discriminatory and illegal. We have issued a Notice to them seeking withdrawal of this anti-women rule." The commission further demanded an action report in the matter by February 1.

Earlier, Communist Party of India (CPI) Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam had written a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, drawing her attention to SBI’s new controversial guideline. In his letter, the Rajya Sabha MP demanded the immediate withdrawal of Circular (CDO/P&HRD-IR/81/2021-22) issued by the State Bank of India saying that "it undermines women's rights". He further said that such guidelines were 'undemocratic, arbitrary and prejudiced'.

'Woman more than 3 months pregnant unfit': SBI

On January 12, the State Bank of India revised its guidelines saying that a female candidate who was more than 3 months pregnant would not be considered for a job. In its circular, the bank stated that a pregnant woman may be allowed to join within four months after the delivery of the child.

The bank's previous policy allowed the appointment of a woman up to 6 months in her pregnancy given that she could produce a medical certificate that her employment at the stage would not interfere with her pregnancy or cause a miscarriage.

"In case of pregnancy which is less than 3 months, the candidate will be considered fit. However, if pregnancy is more than 3 months, she will be considered temporarily unfit and she may be allowed to join within 4 months after delivery of the child," the revised guidelines read.

Image: ANI/ UNSPLASH