‘Cleared all tests, RBI refused job as fingerprints didn’t match’

Giri told the bench that his client submitted a letter to the RBI, along with a medical certificate, stating that the mismatch in biometric was owing to hyperhidrosis. Giri submitted that those suffering from this condition find it tough to use fingerprint technology even in mobile phones.

A Pune resident, with a bachelor in engineering (BE) (computer), has moved to the Bombay high court (HC), claiming that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) refused him a job for the post of assistant, even though he cleared a written and English proficiency test, only because he failed the biometric verification. The individual claimed the fingerprints didn’t match as he suffered from a medical condition, hyperhidrosis. The HC has asked the RBI to be present for the next hearing on July 10.

Representative

Arguing for the petitioner, lawyer Ashish Giri told a bench of justices Akil Kureshi and SJ Kathawalla that after his client passed the online preliminary test, he was called for written and proficiency test. Before the written test, the RBI examiners took his thumb impression and allowed him to write the exam after his credentials were verified. However, after the test, a second biometric of the thumb, showed a mismatch, with a 97% match only after several attempts.

Giri told the bench that his client submitted a letter to the RBI, along with a medical certificate, stating that the mismatch in biometric was owing to hyperhidrosis. Giri submitted that those suffering from this condition find it tough to use fingerprint technology even in mobile phones, and hence such verifications should be made conditional.

The human resources team of the RBI responded with a letter that he was not found fit for selection to the post of assistant owing to unmatched biometric verification. After hearing Giri’s submissions, the bench issued a notice to the RBI.