Jaipur: In a significant ruling that addresses gender-specific health issues in education, the Rajasthan High Court has directed the Armed Forces Medical Services to admit a woman candidate to its BSc Nursing programme who was initially rejected due to low haemoglobin levels caused by heavy menstrual bleeding.
Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand, in an order released Wednesday, questioned whether health conditions arising from menstruation should be grounds for denying women educational opportunities.
The petitioner, who had successfully cleared the initial screening process for the BSc Nursing Course-2024, was declared medically unfit by both the Special Medical Board and Appellate Medical Board due to low haemoglobin levels.
However, she maintained that her condition was temporary and related to heavy menstrual bleeding.
Following her legal challenge, a court-ordered medical review in Oct 2024 found her medically fit. Her counsel, Punit Singhvi, informed the court that a seat in the BSc Nursing course has been vacant since October 15, 2024, as per a previous interim order, and confirmed that she now meets the required medical standards.
The Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services raised concerns about setting a precedent, noting that 17 other candidates had also been rejected for low haemoglobin, and pointed to the course timelines with the session beginning in Jan 2025, but the court dismissed these objections.
