The Madhya Pradesh High Court has provided relief to students of 189 suitable nursing colleges linked to the fake recognition case. Colleges found using duplicate teaching faculty will have to pay a penalty before their students can appear in exams or get pending results.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued a significant order in cases related to alleged irregularities in nursing college recognition and operation, providing relief to students of 189 suitable nursing colleges.A division bench of Justice Anand Pathak and Justice BP Sharma allowed eligible students to appear in examinations. The court also directed that results of students who had already appeared in exams should be released.The order came during the hearing of petitions, including a public interest litigation filed by Law Students Association president advocate Vishal Baghel.

₹3 lakh penalty for colleges with duplicate faculty

The High Court directed nursing colleges found having duplicate teaching faculty to deposit a penalty of ₹3 lakh per duplicate faculty member.Out of this amount, ₹2 lakh will be deposited with the Madhya Pradesh Nursing Registration Council (MPNRC), while ₹1 lakh will go to the Juvenile Justice Fund.The colleges will have to deposit the penalty amount within one month. Only after compliance will their students be considered eligible for examination-related relief.

CBI report highlighted faculty duplication

According to the CBI investigation report presented in the case, duplicate teaching faculty was found in several nursing colleges.The report mentioned that among colleges examined, cases of duplicate faculty were identified in both suitable and deficient categories.The High Court has made payment of the penalty a condition for such colleges to receive further relief for their students.

Students of BSc, MSc Nursing get relief

The order will benefit students enrolled in:

• BSc Nursing

• MSc Nursing

• Post Basic BSc Nursing

Students who had already appeared for examinations will now be able to receive their withheld results.For students whose examinations were pending due to the recognition-related dispute, the court order clears the way for conducting exams.

Colleges directed to plant 50 trees

Along with financial penalties, the High Court has also directed concerned colleges to plant 50 trees within their campus or nearby areas.The colleges will be responsible for maintaining the plants until they grow properly.Photographs of the plantation work will have to be uploaded on the Nisarg app as part of compliance.

Warning to MPNRC over recognition process

The court also issued directions to the Madhya Pradesh Nursing Registration Council (MPNRC) to exercise greater caution while granting recognition to new nursing colleges.The court said that officials responsible for inspections and ensuring compliance with prescribed standards could be held personally accountable for negligence.The court has also sought records of newly recognised nursing colleges.

Next hearing on September 24

The matter will be heard again on September 24, 2026.The court is expected to review compliance with its directions and further developments in the nursing college recognition case

The Chhattisgarh High Court has taken a stern view of the state government's failure to implement its judgment striking down 100% reservation for women in nursing college teaching posts. The court has issued contempt notices to the State Health Secretary Amit Kataria and Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) Secretary D. Rahul Venkat for allegedly ignoring its directions for nearly three years.

The division bench had earlier declared exclusive reservation for women in nursing college faculty recruitment unconstitutional and directed the state to allow eligible male candidates to participate in the selection process. Despite the ruling, the recruitment process has not been revised, prompting aggrieved candidates to move the High Court through a contempt petition.

Recruitment Rule Challenged

The dispute dates back to December 8, 2021, when the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission issued a recruitment notification for the posts of Demonstrator and Assistant Professor in government nursing colleges.

Under Rule 5 and Schedule-III of the 2013 recruitment rules, only women candidates were permitted to apply, effectively excluding qualified male nursing graduates from the selection process.

Male Candidates Approached High Court

A group of petitioners, including Abhay Kumar Kispotta, Dr. Ajay Tripathi, Elyus Ekka, and Aditya Singh, challenged the recruitment rules before the High Court in 2021.

The petitioners argued that both men and women are admitted to B.Sc. Nursing and M.Sc. Nursing courses without discrimination. Therefore, preventing male candidates from applying for teaching positions after completing the same qualifications violated the constitutional guarantee of equality.

Government Defended Women-Only Policy

During the hearing, the state government defended the policy by arguing that nursing services are largely provided by women and cited Article 15(3) of the Constitution, which allows the state to make special provisions for women and children.

However, the High Court held that reserving 100% of teaching posts exclusively for women was unconstitutional and directed the authorities to modify the recruitment process to include male candidates.

Court Order Yet to Be Implemented

According to the contempt petition, despite the High Court's ruling in March 2023, the Health Department and the Directorate of Medical Education have not amended the recruitment rules or issued a revised advertisement permitting male applicants.

The petition also states that six days after the judgment, on March 15, 2023, the CGPSC Deputy Secretary wrote to the Medical Education Department seeking revised recruitment proposals to proceed with fresh appointments. Despite the communication and subsequent representations by candidates, no corrective action was taken.

Contractual Recruitment Sparks Fresh Dispute

Instead of initiating regular recruitment in compliance with the High Court's order, the Medical Education Department issued a fresh advertisement on June 22, 2026, inviting applications on a contractual basis for the posts of Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, and Demonstrator in government nursing colleges.

The move prompted the petitioners to file a contempt plea, alleging deliberate non-compliance with the court's earlier directions.

Taking note of the allegations, the High Court has now issued contempt notices to the Health Secretary and the CGPSC Secretary. The matter has been listed for further hearing after five weeks, during which the state government is expected to explain why the court's directions remain unimplemented.

The outcome of the case is likely to have significant implications for future recruitment in government nursing colleges and could determine whether male nursing professionals receive equal opportunities in teaching positions across Chhattisgarh.