JODHPUR, RJ — In a significant ruling upholding the rights of female medical professionals, the Rajasthan High Court has granted interim relief to an MBBS doctor whose postgraduate seat allotment was threatened due to her inability to join by the state-mandated deadline while on maternity leave.
Case Background: Recovery vs. Deadlines
The petitioner, a Medical Officer currently posted in Sikar, successfully cleared the NEET-PG examination and was allotted a Post-MBBS Diploma seat.
- The Conflict: The doctor recently gave birth and is on officially sanctioned maternity leave until July 19, 2026. However, the state government set April 9, 2026, as the final deadline for allottees to join their respective colleges.
- The Rejection: When the doctor requested an extension to the joining date citing her postnatal recovery phase, the state government rejected her representation, putting her hard-earned seat at risk of cancellation.
Court’s Intervention and Ruling
The bench of Justice Anuroop Singhi heard the petition and observed that the petitioner should not be penalised for exercising her legal right to maternity leave.
- Interim Stay: The court has restrained the state from taking any adverse or coercive action against the doctor regarding her allotment.
- Right to Leave: While the court permitted her to formally submit her joining documents to the state and the college to secure the seat, it explicitly held that she is entitled to continue her allotted maternity leave.
- State’s Response: The court has granted the state government two weeks to file a formal reply to the petition.
Legal Significance
This order reinforces that administrative deadlines and information bulletins cannot override statutory rights or constitutional protections afforded to women during pregnancy and childbirth. It follows a series of recent relief orders from the Rajasthan High Court that have prioritised the educational and professional rights of doctors over rigid administrative inconveniences.
