On May 27, 2025, the Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that the state’s decision to exclude veterinary doctors from the enhanced retirement age of 65 years—granted to allopathic and AYUSH doctors—is discriminatory and unconstitutional. The court found this exclusion violates the right to equality under Article 14 of the Indian Constitution.

The division bench, comprising former Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain, emphasized that veterinary doctors perform medical duties comparable to their human counterparts, treating non-human patients with similar expertise. The court stated that merely differentiating between human and animal healthcare is not a valid justification for unequal treatment.

The petitioners, veterinary surgeons employed in the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Department of Madhya Pradesh, challenged the 2011 amendment that raised the retirement age for medical doctors from 62 to 65 but did not extend this benefit to veterinary doctors. The court declared this amendment unconstitutional and directed the state government to amend its service rules to align the retirement age of veterinary doctors with that of allopathic and AYUSH doctors.

This decision underscores the importance of equitable treatment across medical professions and reinforces the principle of non-discrimination in public service.

Sources