Delhi High Court Issues Notice On Plea Challenging Exclusion Of Men From Nursing Courses

The Delhi High Court has issued notice to the Central and Delhi governments regarding a plea challenging the exclusion of men from admission to nursing courses at prestigious institutions like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi University (DU), and Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (IP University). The plea, filed by the Indian Professional Nursing Association (IPNA), challenges the rules of these institutions that restrict applications for BSc nursing courses to female candidates.

The IPNA argues that the gender-specific admission rules are based on regressive notions that men lack the attributes to be successful nurses. The Division Bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Mini Pushkarna, has ordered AIIMS, IP University, and DU to respond to the plea, with the next hearing scheduled for February 19, 2024.

The association contends that nursing has evolved as a profession, shedding its traditional gender stereotypes. It emphasizes that male nurses are gaining acceptance in private hospitals across India. The plea asserts that denying men the opportunity to study nursing in top and affordable colleges in Delhi is arbitrary, contradicting principles of fairness, democracy, and equality.

The petitioner argues that the practice of exclusively admitting female candidates to BSc (H) Nursing courses is manifestly arbitrary, failing to meet the standards of reasonable nexus and reasonable classification under Article 14. The court's issuance of notice indicates a critical examination of gender-specific admission policies, signaling a potential shift towards inclusivity in nursing education.

Author: Anushka Taraniya

News writer, MIT ADT University