Jabalpur High Court Grants Relief To Male Candidates In Nursing Officer Recruitment

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Principal Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court at Jabalpur on Wednesday granted interim relief to 10 male candidates (petitioners) who challenged 100% reservation for women in nursing officer recruitment.

The court has directed to include them in the recruitment process. The court also issued notices to the State government and the Employees Selection Board (ESB), seeking responses.

A single-judge bench of Justice Vishal Dhagat heard a petition challenging the recruitment process for over 800 nursing officer posts in government medical colleges across Madhya Pradesh. The bench directed 10 male petitioners, including Santosh Kumar Lodhi, a resident of Jabalpur, to be allowed to apply for the advertised nursing officer posts and to be included in the recruitment process. However, the results of their applications will remain subject to the final verdict.

While granting interim relief, the court issued notices to the Public Health and Medical Education Department and the ESB.

The petitioners had filed a plea in the High Court challenging the recently issued recruitment advertisement for nursing officers. Advocate Vishal Baghel, appearing for the petitioners, submitted that the advertisement issued by the ESB, titled Nursing Officer and Sister Tutor Recruitment Examination-2026, has reserved 100% of the posts exclusively for female candidates. Consequently, eligible male candidates have been barred from applying.

Arguments were presented contending that under the Madhya Pradesh Medical Education (Non-Gazetted) Service Recruitment and Promotion Rules, 2023, there exists no gender-based restriction for the post of nursing officer. It was argued that the provision in the advertisement runs contrary to statutory rules.

The petition further argued that both men and women pursue the same academic curriculum and possess identical qualifications. To exclude individuals from public employment solely on the basis of gender constitutes a violation of Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution of India. The petition seeks the quashing of the portion of the advertisement which reserves 100% of the posts for women.