Trigger Warning: This article mentions self-harm.

The Calcutta High Court recently upheld the disqualification of a woman candidate from the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) recruitment, ruling that the presence of unexplained, 13 parallel “self-inflicted” cut marks is a valid ground for rejection.

Justice Amrita Sinha emphasised that recruitment for combat forces requires “cent percent” mental and physical stability, and any doubt regarding a candidate’s psychological resilience, especially concerning potential self-harm, is sufficient to deny appointment.

The high court was hearing a plea by a candidate seeking a direction for a psychiatric evaluation to challenge her rejection on medical grounds.

“The petitioner was participating in the recruitment for the combat forces. Any candidate who, according to the authority, is not mentally fit and stable, cannot be engaged in a combat force,” the Calcutta High Court said in its March 30 order. 

The case stemmed from the candidate’s participation in recruitment as a constable (general duty) in the central armed police forces, secretariat security force, rifleman (general duty) in the Assam Rifles, and sepoy in the Narcotics Control Bureau.

Subsequently, she was declared unfit by the detailed medical examination board on three counts. The first one was that there were multiple scar marks in her left forearm, then the board found ring finger straightening deformity and white vaginal discharge. 

The review medical examination board declared the petitioner unfit on account of self-inflicted cut marks over the left wrist, which were 13 in number.

Representing the state, advocate S N Dutta opposes the woman’s request for a psychiatric test and mentioned the report filed by the authority on February 24, 2026. 

Dutta pointed out that the report mentions that the cut marks come under an unsuccessful suicide attempt and potentially lethal action. A risk factor for future suicide attempts always remains, he added.

He further pointed out that self-injury has long been linked to other disorders as well, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depressive disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder, and borderline personality disorder. 

There is every likelihood of repetition of self-harm due to various stresses which are part and parcel of combat duties, the counsel claimed.

He lastly added that the petitioner was declared unfit as per the revised unit guidelines for medical examination, which mentions that mental or nervous instability is a ground for rejection of candidature. 

Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Gunjan Kumar Singh denies that the cut marks are self-inflicted. He added that without a positive finding, the authority should not conclude that the petitioner is mentally unstable.