Indian police and armed forces often tie themselves up in knots over tattoos. The rules—which vary between states and forces—mostly proscribe large, visible and offensive markings, exempting members of tribal communities under some conditions. But things can get more complicated for those desperate to get into the forces. The Calcutta High Court recently ruled that an appellant could not reapply for a job with the Central Armed Police Forces after removing a tattoo. In a separate case, the Delhi High Court asked if such specific prescriptions are necessary today. Maybe an amendment to the tattoo policy the Delhi Police issued a few years ago can show the way—they proposed that as “it is imperative to attract candidates from all parts of the country”, the rules need to be updated.