Punita Maheshwari reports:
She turned the page, and there it stared at her, unblinking, insistent, and bold: “What was the last date of menstruation?”
Stunned, she stole a glance around. Nobody was looking at her. But, caught on the wrong foot, it took her a solid minute to compose herself.
Should she answer the question? Why do they want to know? Isn’t that like invading her private space? Should she call up Mom?
That intrusive question is one of many queries that figure in the admission form of the reputed Banasthali University, an all-women, residential education academy in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
And no, the reporter is not exaggerating. There’s an image of the application form included in the reporting and other confirmation.
Even if some of the questions only apply to married female applicants, this is still an unacceptable privacy intrusion.
That the university does not see a problem with asking these questions on an application to the university is somewhat mind-boggling. Yes, accepted students generally have to provide some health information – although even then, I think this university’s questions are over the top and unnecessary. But to ask these questions of applicants? Seriously?
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