Gender-Specific eligibility rule for BSc Nursing Hons course challenged: HC seeks response from Centre, Delhi Govt, AIIMS, DU, GGSIPU, Nursing Council

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has sought to know the stand of the Union Government and the city government on a plea that challenged the rules allowing only female candidates to apply for admission to B.Sc (Hons) Nursing courses offered by All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi University (DU) and Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University.

While considering the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in this regard by the Indian Professional Nurses Association, the HC bench of Acting Chief Justice Mamohan and Justice Mini Pushkarna issued notices on Tuesday and asked the governments as well as the institutes and Indian Nursing Council to file their replies within four weeks, adds PTI.

Filing the plea, the association has sought a reconsideration of the rule urging the court to direct the implementation of a new regulation that would make individuals of all genders eligible for admission to B.Sc.(H) nursing courses, adds IANS. The association, a registered non-governmental body dedicated to the welfare of nurses nationwide, says that restricting admission solely to females is deemed arbitrary and contrary to the fundamental principles of democracy, fairness, and equality.

It is argued that the practice is "manifestly arbitrary" and fails to meet the standards of reasonable classification outlined in Article 14 of the constitution. The plea argues that the gender-specific eligibility rule overlooks the pressing need for more nursing professionals in the country and, consequently, runs against the broader interest of the public.

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In this regard, the counsel for the petitioner association, Advocate Robin Raju, said that the plea challenged the gender-based eligibility and that in view of the shortage of nurses in the country, persons of all genders should be permitted to apply to the course.

The plea said the petitioner was a non-governmental registered body working for the welfare of nurses across India and was "moving the instant petition to highlight the concern that even today male and third gender candidates are facing discrimination in the admission process laid out by nursing colleges that are affiliated with respondents."

The petition said denying all genders except females the opportunity to study B.Sc (H) nursing course in premier and affordable nursing colleges of Delhi was arbitrary and against the principles of democracy, fairness and equality.