C B Muthamma v/s. Union of India
- Yash Jain
- May 24, 2020
Content :
In 1948, after the independent India was formed Ms. Chonira Belliappa Muthamma was the 1st woman to clear the Union Public Service Commission (U.P.S.C.) Examination to join the Indian Civil Services. After clearing the entrance exam, she was asked to come for the interview. Even at the very threshold, the Chairman of the U.P.S.C. tried to force Ms. C.B. Muthamma not to join the Foreign Services. Sometimes, the Chairman personally informed her that he had asked the other interviewer to give her the minimum marks in viva, so that she may not get selected for the Foreign Services. But when the results were out, she was on the top of the list of candidates who had applied for the Indian Foreign Services that year. Before joining her job, she was made to sign an undertaking which stated that if she gets married during her service then she must resign from her job. At that time, she signed the undertaking and started the job. When she started her job, she was posted at the Indian Embassy in Paris. During the year 1979,after 30 years of her service when she was denied promotion from Grade 2 to Grade 1 of the Indian Foreign Service, she decided to go to the Apex Court of our country against the discriminatory practices followed in our country. In the single PIL filed by her in the Apex Court came to know as the “C.B. Muthamma v Union of India ”.This was one of its first PIL in the Supreme Court related to the Indian Foreign Service.
