Only female doctors to take chest size of women candidates for for forest ranger posts: Haryana govt

The Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC), the recruitment body, had on July 7 added a new rule which requires women applicants to have a ‘normal’ chest size of 74cm or 79cm when expanded

Following criticism by opposition Congress of its new rule to measure the chest size of women candidates for the recruitment of forest ranger and deputy forest ranger, the Haryana government on Saturday clarified that only female doctors and staff are deployed for taking physical measurements of females during the hiring process.

Only female doctors to take chest size of women candidates for for forest ranger posts: Haryana govt

The Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC), the recruitment body, had on July 7 added a new rule which requires women applicants to have a ‘normal’ chest size of 74cm or 79cm when expanded.

HSSC chairman Bhopal Singh Khatri said that the new rule for forest ranger and deputy ranger had already been included and that advertisements were taken out for these posts.

“Only lady doctors and lady coaches will be included in the physical measurement process for women candidates. The physical measurement process will begin from July 12,” he said.

An official spokesman of the Haryana government said that the adjoining Punjab state is also taking physical measurements for height and chest size in case of both male and female candidates while recruiting forest field staff.

Hitting out at the BJP government earlier in the day, Rajya Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said the new rule to measure women’s chests for recruitment in the forest department was a “Tughlaqi decree”.

“This criteria is stupid and cruel. Don’t (Haryana CM) Khattar ji know that such rules did not exist in recruitment in the Central Reserve Police Force. These rules were also not followed in the recruitment process of women constables and sub-inspectors in Haryana. This is a grave insult with our daughters. Don’t Khattar ji-Dushyant Chautala know that even in the Central Police Organisation, there is no standard to measure the ‘chest’ of women?” he said.

He also asked the Haryana chief minister to withdraw the rule and apologise to Haryana’s daughters.

In a statement, Tosham MLA and senior Congress leader Kiran Choudhry said this government frames rules without any consultation and opinion.

“If the recruitment of women in the police can be done without chest measurement, why are such rules being framed,” she added.