Archive · 31 Jul 2026
Court Rules Pregnancy Not Grounds to Deny Public Jobs
A woman named Komal Jaiswal was trying to join the Forest Guard in Uttar Pradesh.
She was nine months pregnant and asked the hiring commission to postpone her physical test until after she had her baby.
The commission said no, because the rules did not say they could delay the test.
Komal went to court, and the Allahabad High Court said the commission was wrong.
The court said that a woman’s pregnancy should not stop her from getting a job.
It told the commission to let her take the test later and to hire her if she passes.
This decision protects pregnant women’s right to work and to have a baby.
Allahabad High Court ruled pregnancy cannot be a ground to deny public employment.
The decision was made on July 22, 2024, by a bench of Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Jaspreet Singh.
Komal Jaiswal, a nine‑month pregnant applicant, was denied postponement of her physical efficiency test by the UPSSSC.
The court directed the commission to conduct the test within four weeks and to appoint her if she qualifies.
The ruling emphasizes that pregnancy should not be treated as a disqualification for public jobs.
- Who
- Komal Jaiswal, a pregnant applicant for the Forest Guard and Wildlife Guard recruitment
- What
- Allahabad High Court ruled that pregnancy cannot be used to deny a woman a public employment position
- When
- July 22, 2024
- Where
- Allahabad High Court, Lucknow bench, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Why
- The court held that denying a pregnant woman a postponement of the physical efficiency test forces her to choose between motherhood and employment, violating her reproductive and livelihood rights
- Court
- Allahabad High Court
- Case
- Komal Jaiswal vs Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission
- Decision Date
- July 22, 2024
- PET Test Date
- February 2026
- Commission
- Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission