Citing ‘peculiarities of gender’, the Indian Army has justified barring married women from applying to the Judge Advocate General (JAG), the Army’s legal branch. Explaining its stance, the Army said that married women “may seek maternity leave which will result in discontinuation of her training” at the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA), reported Times Of India.
The army’s response came on a plea filed by Kush Kalra, against barring entry of married woman law graduate candidates in the army’s JAG branch.
The petition, filed in April this year, claims that the bar is an example of institutionalized discrimination and is violative of the ‘fundamental right of equality before law, right not to be discriminated on the ground of sex, equality of opportunity in matters of public employment, fundamental right to practice any profession and occupation and human rights of the women.’
But the Indian army however, claims that it is important for female candidates in the JAG to go through gruelling training session at the Officers’ Training Academy and completing the same would be a hindrance for married women.