Twitter and other social media platforms are a viable means for raising one’s voice and bring public attention to any matter.
To use this advantage of social media to their maximum benefit, male nurses are running a campaign on Twitter by trending #Save_Male_Nurses.
Though the hashtag sounds very weird, the motive behind it is equally important.
What Is the Matter All About?
#Save_Male_Nurses is one of the trending hashtags on Twitter in India. This campaign has been launched by male nurses of India against the discrimination practised by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the recruitment of nursing officers.
According to the amended reservation criteria, 80 per cent seats in the recruitment of nursing officers in AIIMS throughout India would be exclusively reserved for the female candidates. The male candidates will compete for the unreserved 20 per cent seats.
The male nurses and the AIIMS nurses’ union is alleging gender discrimination in the recruitment process.
This isn’t the first time when this matter has come to light. Earlier, in January 2020, when the new reservation criteria were finalized during the 4th Central Institutional Body (CIB) meeting pertaining to recruitment of nurses in various AIIMS throughout India, the AIIMS Nurses’ Union had expressed their anguish and disagreement over the changed criteria.
The nurses had also written a letter to the Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan to get their protest registered. It is worth noting that the health minister had chaired the meeting which sanctioned the change in reservation criteria.
Read Also: Here’s How The Depiction Of Lady Nurses During Difficult Times Has Evolved Over The Past 100 Years
What Is Wrong With It?
India is a country whereby constant efforts have been made to ensure that women have equal rights and opportunities in household matters as well as in professional discourse. However, considering the reservation extended to women in various spheres of the professional world, we need to understand the need for making all the professions gender-neutral.
Gender neutrality is a bigger need in today’s time.
By excessive reservation to a particular class of the society, not only the principle of Constitution which allows not more than 50% reservation is violated but we are also compromising on the livelihood of thousands of male nurses.
The nursing profession is indeed female dominant; however, the male counterparts shouldn’t be ignored and their chance shouldn’t be snatched away in the guise of reservation.
Reservation is a tool meant for empowering the class which doesn’t get enough opportunities in a particular educational or professional activity. However, despite men being in minority in the nursing profession, they aren’t given any boost. Rather, they are subdued by monopolizing the profession in the name of reservation.
Here, in the present case, reservation is causing unnecessary and harmful monopoly of female gender in the profession. This is the reason why reservation up to a particular percentage is advisable.
Considering that the government has full right to pass legislation for the benefit of women and children under Article 15(3) of the Constitution of India, we need to analyze the intent of the constituent assembly behind this provision. The intention was to provide equal opportunities and protection to women and children against atrocities, as they are vulnerable. The intent wasn’t to sabotage another gender’s right. However, the excessive reservation sanctioned in AIIMS is indicating towards a lethal practice of pushing the other gender down.
Doctors and nurses of all genders are doing their best to save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. The government should consider their requests and grievances to ensure their satisfaction and well-being.
Image Sources: Google Images
Sources: Times of India, ANI News, Twitter
Find The Blogger At: @innocentlysane
This post is tagged under: AIIMs nurses recruitment, female nurses, male nurses, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Health minister, reservations, Constitution of India, AIIMS Nurses union, protest, Twitter hashtag trending, discrimination, hiring, #Save_Male_Nurses, nursing officer post, recruitment, AIIMS nursing officer vacancy, AIIMS nursing officer exam, AIIMS male nurses
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