The Indian Army has made it clear that candidates with a 'name, religious symbol, clan symbol, or any other picture Tattoo on any of their forearms (in Hindi 'Baaju')will be declared medically unfit for Indian Army.

The Garhwal Regiment Lansdowne Office, which will be conducting BRO recruitment Process at Dehradun's Birpur Stadium, from tomorrow i.e. April 09, 2012; has said that it's going to implement the "NO Tattoo on Forearm" rule in this recruitment drive.

If you have a tattoo on your forearm; and want to be in Army, then you can remove it surgically, as soon as possible; so that you don't lose the opportunity the next time.

For the time being, below are a few things about the Tattoos, Religious Symbols, and their conformance to Government Rules:

Tattoos, are a strict NO, not only in Indian army, but in most armies across the world. Since no Army will allow, its soldiers to wear a symbol other than its own; hence tattoos are not permitted for Men in Uniform.

The fact that Tattoos are often used by anti-social and criminal groups; hence they are looked down upon.

Talking of religious symbols; many a times people get their passport photographs clicked with religious symbols like 'Vermilion on Forehead (in Hindi 'Maathe par Tilak')' or 'skull cap on' (in the case of muslims). In India, the Government doesn't allow any citizen to wear or sport religious symbols in his/her passport size photograph (Sikhs who wear a turban and a beard all the time; are exempted from this rule).

So next time you get yourself a passport photograph: Make sure not to sport all these religious symbols.

But do wear Specs or eyeglasses in a passport photograph, if you wear them all time.

NOTE: Tattoos are problematic not only in Indian Army; but in other sensitive jobs as well. particularly when the tattoos portray or link the incumbent with some radical or anti-social group.
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