SBI suspends circular on recruitment of pregnant women
New Delhi, January 29: After facing criticism from various quarters, the State Bank of India (SBI) on Saturday decided to suspend its circular on the recruitment of pregnant women.
The SBI recently reviewed its ‘Fitness Standards for Recruitment in the Bank’, including norms for pregnant women candidates. Under the new rules, a woman candidate with more than three months pregnancy will be considered “temporarily unfit” and can join the bank within four months after delivery.
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The move elicited criticism from various quarters, including from labour unions and the Delhi Commission for Women.
In view of the public sentiments, the State Bank of India has decided to keep the revised instructions regarding the recruitment of pregnant women candidates in abeyance and continue with the existing instructions in the matter, the bank said in a statement.
In its latest medical fitness guidelines for new recruits or promotees, the bank said a candidate would be considered fit in case of pregnancy which is less than three months.
“However, if pregnancy is of more than 3 months, she will be considered temporarily unfit and she may be allowed to join within 4 months after delivery of child,” as per the medical fitness and ophthalmological standards for new recruits and promotees dated December 31, 2021.
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-PTC News with agency inputs
