Edn instts can’t compel students to disclose marital status: HC

PBC NEWS DESK: Educational institutions cannot force any admission seeker to disclose their marital status during admissions, according to a High Court verdict on Thursday.

An HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Md Khairul Alam pronounced the verdict granting the rule of a writ partially.The court called it ‘unconstitutional’ to know the student’s marital status.

Deputy Attorney General Amit Das Gupta represented the state, while Barrister Aneek R Haque stood on behalf of the petitioner.

Following a writ filed by Supreme Court lawyer Fahriya Ferdous, the HC on December 11, 2017, issued the rule questioning the legality of the educational institutions’ action seeking information on marital status of admission seekers.A girl, the daughter of a day labourer, was allegedly raped in 2013 when she was a Secondary School Certificate examinee.

Later, the girl became pregnancy and gave birth to a baby.The rapist has been sentenced to life term imprisonment.

However, during admission at a nursing college, the rape victim has been asked by authorities to write that she was abandoned by her husband the admission form.

Later, the High Court issued the rule following a writ in this regard.