BHOPAL: In a major policy reversal, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to remove the two-child restriction linked to government service.
Chief minister Dr Mohan Yadav, taking a major decision in the interest of government employees and aspirants seeking to government service, has taken cognizance of the matter and directed the withdrawal of the draft provision in the proposed Madhya Pradesh Civil Services Rules that prescribed a maximum limit of two children for eligibility for government employment.
He has also ordered the immediate removal of the draft from the official portal. It may be recalled that, under a decision taken by the then state government in 2001, the state government’s General Administration Department (GAD) had introduced a provision disqualifying candidates with more than two living children from direct recruitment and departmental appointments in government service.
Under the existing provisions introduced in 2001, candidates having more than two living children on or after January 26, 2001 were considered ineligible for government service under the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (General Conditions of Service) Rules, 1961. Further, under the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1965, having more than two children was treated as misconduct for serving government employees.
The CM has directed the GAD to immediately withdraw the proposed draft rules and remove all provisions relating to disqualification from government service on the grounds of having more than two living children. He has further instructed that a revised draft be prepared and published in accordance with due procedure. He has also directed that the existing draft be removed from the portal with immediate effect.
The move is being seen as a big relief for job aspirants, young families and government employees who had long objected to the rule.
Importantly, for more than two decades, MP followed a provision introduced in 2001 as part of population-control measures. Under this system, a candidate having more than two living children on or after January 26, 2001, was deemed ineligible for direct recruitment and departmental appointments in government service. Notably, the rule did not stop at recruitment as under the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services Conduct Rules, 1965, having more than two children was also treated as misconduct for government servants. This meant the provision cast a shadow not only on those preparing for government jobs, but also on employees already in service.
Following the latest development, Madhya Pradesh is in line with states that have already moved away from such restrictions. Rajasthan had lifted a similar bar during Vasundhara Raje’s CM tenure in 2016, while Chhattisgarh removed the restriction under Raman Singh’s stint as CM in 2017.