Getting a tattoo? You might lose chance to get into THESE govt jobs

Candidates applying for defence jobs who belong to tribal communities can are permitted to have permanent body tattoos on any part of the body.

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New Delhi: A man approached the Delhi High Court after he was declared unfit for recruitment in the Central Armed Police Forces, National Investigation Agency (NIA), and other forces for having a "religious tattoo" on the dorsum of his right hand. The counsel for the authorities opposed the plea saying that the right arm is the saluting hand and this tattoo was not permissible under the relevant guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs. So for the guidance of job seekers here is the list of jobs that do not permit tattoos on body and rules regarding body tattoos in various services

Rules for Tattoos in Indian Air, Indian Navy,  Indian Cost Guard and other defence services

As per the guidelines for tattoos, candidates having any kind of tattoos on the body any body part other than the inner face of forearms i.e. from inside of elbow to the wrist and on the reverse side of palm/ back (dorsal) side of hand  are from barred from the recruitment in Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Police department.

"Candidates from tribal communities/ from tribal areas, as declared by the Government of India Scheduled Tribes Orders/ Act/ Lists (amended and modified from time to time), are permitted to have permanent body tattoos on any part of the body, as per existing customs and traditions of the said tribe to which a candidate belongs," states policy on tattoo.

Only small innocuous tattoos, that are not prejudicial to good order and military discipline, are permitted e.g. religious symbols or names of near and dear ones etc. Regardless of position of the tattoo on a body part, here are the criteria for non-permissible 

1. Tattoos on any other part of the body mentioned above
2. A tattoo with lewd or offensive content or indecent figures.
3. Tattoos that are indecent, sexist or racist

Detailed Tattoo Policy Here

The same rules are applied to recruitment in the police department. However, in other government jobs like UPSC and SSC, no restrictions are imposed on having a tattoo on any body part and no candidate can be declared unfit for recruitment for having a tattoo as long as the it is not offensive.