Faced gender discrimination while pursuing law at NU: Ex-SC judge Pal

Nagpur: Former Supreme Court judge Ruma Pal said she faced gender discrimination while pursuing her law degree at Nagpur University in the early 1960s. Speaking to TOI on the sidelines of an event where she was the key speaker, justice Pal said when she applied for admission at Dr Ambedkar Law College here, which is directly under the university, the then principal dissuaded her saying it will be “difficult to sit with boys”.
Though Pal had studied in Visva-Bharati (Shantiniketan), she shifted to Nagpur because of unforeseen circumstances. “My father had passed away and elder brother was working in Nagpur for a private company. He said I might as well shift to Nagpur rather than being in West Bengal by myself,” she said.

But the moment she applied for a law seat, the principal tried to talk her out of it, she said. “At first, he would not agree saying I will find it difficult to adjust with boys, as I was the only the female applicant,” said Pal. But she refused to budge. “The principal then met my brother and tried to convince him. But my brother refused to listen to the principal, because he knew I would not agree to such conditions,” she said.

Since legally Pal could not be denied admission, the principal had no option but to accept her application. “But, the discrimination continued. I used to sit on the first bench but all the boys were asked to move to the back. So here I was, sitting alone on an entire bench while those other kids were cramped at the back,” she said.

Later, she was “graduated” to a separate desk, thus freeing up the bench for boys. But Pal kept her focus on academics and graduated with a law degree from Nagpur university in 1963, and returned to Kolkata thereafter. “Now, at many law colleges I see that more and more girls are taking admission and at one place I that saw 70% students were girls. Times are changing and I am very happy about that,” said Pal.

She was in the city on Saturday as the chief guest at Justice SM Daud Memorial Lecture series, and spoke on the topic ‘Freedom of religion under the Constitution’. Pal mentioned Sabarimala case, Ajmer Dargah case etc, and stressed that it is important to ascertain whether certain religion practices/rituals are integral part of a belief or religion. “The SC has said that essential practice means those practices that are fundamental to follow a religious belief. If taking away of that part or practice could result in a fundamental change in the character of that religion or in its belief, then such part could be treated as an essential or integral part,” said Pal during in her speech.