Pune: Integrated tribal development project officer in Ghodegaon on Thursday submitted an inquiry report to the State Commission for Women that there was no evidence of urine pregnancy tests (UPT) being conducted on girls before admission to the hostel for tribal girls in Pune.On Aug 26, the Commission had directed project officer Pradeep Desai to investigate reports on social media that girls were made to undergo UPTs for hostel admission without prior consent from them or their parents.Desai said in his report that based on interactions with the tribal girls during the inquiry, no such thing had happened. There was no provision in any govt order to conduct UPTs before admission.The report further said a govt resolution provided for a physical fitness test before hostel admission to ensure candidates with pre-existing communicable diseases or serious ailments were not taken. The said test is conducted at the Sassoon General Hospital or the Aundh district hospital — as recommended by the rector of the hostel concerned. In this case, the rector’s recommendation for a fitness test did not include any request for UPTs, the report said.“Furthermore, we hold meetings with parents thrice a year. The School Management Committee, which includes parents, supervises daily activities at the schools and hostels. We conduct inspections and interact with students, while there are NGOs which work with us regularly. During my tenure, no such complaints have ever been raised,” he said.Desai said the girls had gone home for Ganeshotsav and would return on Sept 3. “I will speak with them and appeal NGOs to do the same. We will take appropriate action if anything crops up,” he added.The report further said there were 24 govt hostels, 11 for girls, in Maharashtra. It is mentioned in the Ashram School Code 2019 that women superintendents of hostels must maintain a confidential menstrual register of the girls. Starting academic year 2025-26, nurses have been appointed on contract at all ashram schools and hostels to take care of students’ health. A medical mobile health team already keeps a check.
