In a significant policy shift, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to remove the long-standing two-child norm that restricted eligibility for government jobs, marking a major change in the state’s civil service rules. The decision is expected to benefit thousands of job aspirants and serving employees across the state.

Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has directed the General Administration Department to withdraw the draft of the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services Rules that had retained the controversial provision. He also ordered that the draft be immediately removed from the official portal and revised without the restriction.

The rule, introduced in 2001 as part of population-control measures, disqualified candidates with more than two living children from securing government employment if the condition applied on or after January 26, 2001. It also extended to serving employees, where violation of the norm was treated as misconduct under the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services Conduct Rules, 1965.

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Officials said the provision had long been a subject of debate, as it affected not only new recruitment but also the career progression of existing government employees. With its removal, the state is expected to ease recruitment norms and align its policies with changing social and administrative perspectives.

The Chief Minister’s directive calls for a revised draft of the civil services rules to be prepared and republished after removing all references to the two-child restriction. The move is being seen as a relief for families and job seekers who had previously faced limitations under the rule.

With this decision, Madhya Pradesh joins several other states that have already scrapped similar provisions. Rajasthan removed its two-child norm in 2016 during Vasundhara Raje’s tenure, while Chhattisgarh abolished the restriction in 2017 under Raman Singh’s government, signalling a broader national trend away from population-linked employment conditions.

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