There have been a series of school fires in the country in recent years, many of them which have turned out to be arson
The 36-year-old Kom, an Olympic bronze medallist from London 2012, has been given an automatic spot in a qualifying competition for Tokyo 2020 by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).
That decision has been criticised by 23-year-old fellow flyweight Nikhat Zareen, who says that Kom should have to go through trials.
The BFI initially announced that only the finalists of the recent world championships would be automatically selected for the Olympic qualifier in China early next year while others would have to earn a spot through trials.
Kom, however, was only a semi-finalist at the worlds in Russia earlier this month, eventually coming away with a bronze, her eighth medal in total at the championships.
Even Kom's selection for the event in Russia was mired in controversy after the BFI exempted her from trials for those championships.
Zareen, whose hopes of competing at the Tokyo Olympics will be over if Kom qualifies in China, has written to sports minister Kiren Rijiju demanding his intervention. Kom has said she would follow BFI instructions.
"I have been inspired by Mary Kom since I was a teenager," Zareen wrote in her letter to the minister.
"The best way I can do justice to this inspiration was to strive to be as great a boxer as her...
"I have been reliably informed that the rule is now being changed again to accommodate my senior Mary Kom as the Indian candidate without a trial."
Her cause has received support from other athletes, including shooter Abhinav Bindra, India's only individual Olympic gold medallist, who said Kom's past achievements should not grant her favourable treatment.
"While I have all the respect for Mary Kom...In sport, yesterday NEVER counts," Bindra tweeted.
BFI secretary general Jay Kowli, who was in Dubai, said he could not comment without consulting other officials while selection committee chief Rajesh Bhandari was not available to comment when contacted by Reuters.
Sports Minister Rijiju, however, has ruled out any intervention citing the BFI's autonomy under the Olympic charter.
"I'll surely convey to Boxing Federation to take the best decision keeping in mind the best interest of the nation, sports & athletes," he tweeted on Friday.
Zareen thanked the minister and said she hoped for an end to "favouritism and nepotism".
There have been a series of school fires in the country in recent years, many of them which have turned out to be arson
Salama Alfalacy is into realistic art featuring landscapes and wildlife, while Meera Jamal Al Midfa is setting new grounds in performance art and filmmaking
Dubai Police have asked drivers to be extra cautious
The storm had already claimed the lives of at least two people in China's Hainan and 16 people in the Philippines
Dubai Police have asked drivers to be extra cautious
The former all-rounder has returned to cricket during the past year after a horrific car crash at the end of 2022
Dubai Police have asked drivers to be extra cautious
The country has set a new Guinness World Record by creating the largest falcon hood, beating the previous record of 1.65 metres