Jodhpur: The Rajasthan High Court Tuesday granted an interim stay on the state govt’s order cancelling the appointment of a candidate selected as assistant professor (super specialty) in paediatric gastroenterology at SMS Medical College, Jaipur. Justice Farjand Ali directed the state govt that the candidate, Laxman Singh Charan, be allowed to join his duties immediately.The order came in response to a writ petition filed by Charan, who argued that the state had failed to fill the post, which has been vacant for over 15 years. Following directives from the National Medical Commission in April 2025, SMS Medical College notified an urgent recruitment for 27 positions, and Charan, among seven suitable candidates, was selected. Despite his appointment being confirmed on Dec 2, 2025, the state abruptly cancelled his position without explanation while allowing other candidates to join. Charan’s petition described this decision as arbitrary and discriminatory, especially given the acute shortage of paediatric gastroenterologists in Rajasthan. Currently, the state has only four specialists in this field, with treatment for paediatric intestinal diseases often being handled by liver specialists, as in Jaipur’s JK Lon Hospital, due to lack of qualified experts. The court required the state govt to respond within three weeks, while allowing Charan to commence his duties.
