SBI withdraws circular calling pregnant women 'temporarily unfit'

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 29 : The State Bank of India on Saturday has withdrawn a circular calling pregnant women 'unfit' for recruitment.
In a press statement, "In view of the public sentiments, SBI has decided to keep the revised instructions regarding recruitment of pregnant women candidates in abeyance and continue with the existing instructions in the matter."
The SBI said that it has reviewed the various Fitness Standards for Recruitment in the Bank, including norms for Pregnant Women candidates. "The revised guidelines were intended to provide clarity on various health parameters where instructions were not clear or were very old. In some sections of the media, the revision in norms in this regard has been interpreted as discriminatory against women."
"SBI has always been proactive towards the care and empowerment of its women employees who now constitute around 25% of our workforce. During the COVID period, as per Government instructions, pregnant women employees were exempted from attending office and allowed to Work From Home," it reads.