Male doctors conduct gynaecological tests on women wanting to join the army, a women's organisation said on Wednesday.

"It is indeed shocking that unmarried women candidates between the ages of 21 to 27 are being made to undergo physical tests, including gynaecological, by men doctors for the past ten years as part of the recruitment process," All India Democratic Women's Association general secretary Brinda Karat said in New Delhi.

"We had written to the army chief urging his intervention into the matter, but no action has been taken in this regard. Hence we have decided to move the Supreme Court," she said.

Karat also introduced before the media one Surya Moudgal, from Haryana, who couldn't clear the test for the post of lieutenant under the Women's Special Entry Scheme, as she had refused to subject herself to gynaecological tests by a male doctor on two occasions.

"I was rudely dismissed in two of my attempts at the test at Allahabad and Delhi when I refused gynaecological tests by a male doctor present there. They did not heed to my request to arrange for a lady doctor," Moudgal said.

"This practice has been going on in the army for years as nobody had openly come out in protest against it. Hence we are forced to seek the help of the apex court..." Karat said.