Madhya Pradesh Government Withdraws Two-Child Norm for Government Jobs
In June 2026, Madhya Pradesh government removed the two-child norm that restricted eligibility for government jobs and imposed disciplinary action on serving employees with more than two children born on or after 26 January 2001. This norm, introduced in 2001 under the Digvijaya Singh-led Congress government, was part of the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1965. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav directed the General Administration Department to withdraw the draft provision from the civil services rules, benefiting thousands of job aspirants and employees, including approximately 30,000 teachers. The withdrawal is not retrospective, so employees dismissed previously under the rule will not be reinstated.
On this page

Key Facts
The two-child norm was introduced in 2001 by the Digvijaya Singh-led Congress government.
The rule stipulated that candidates with more than two children born on or after 26 January 2001 were ineligible for government jobs in Madhya Pradesh.
The Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1965 treated having a third child as an act of indiscipline for serving government employees, which could lead to departmental action including dismissal.
In June 2026, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, under the BJP government, instructed the General Administration Department to remove the two-child norm draft provision from the civil services rules.
Approximately 30,000 teachers and many other employees were affected by this rule, facing risk of job loss.
The rule's withdrawal will not operate retrospectively; employees dismissed previously under this rule will not be reinstated.
The General Administration Department (GAD) executed the withdrawal process and republished revised rules without this provision.
Background & Context
The two-child norm served as a population control measure influencing eligibility for government employment and conduct of government servants in Madhya Pradesh. Originally introduced in 2001, it implemented a service condition that constrained family size for public servants and aspirants. Over the years, the policy led to disqualification of candidates with larger families and disciplinary actions against employees violating the norm. Changing social attitudes, concerns about fairness and employment rights, along with political decisions under the current BJP leadership led to revocation of this norm in 2026.
Why This Matters for Exams / Exam Relevance
This policy change is an important example of state-level government employment regulations, population control policies, and administrative reforms in Madhya Pradesh. Competitive exams often test awareness of current affairs, government policies, and their social implications. Understanding the context, implementation, and recent revocation of the two-child norm helps candidates analyze how public administration adapts over time, and the interplay between social policy and governance.
Points to Remember
The two-child norm was introduced in 2001 by the Congress government under Digvijaya Singh.
Employees and aspirants with more than two children born on or after 26 January 2001 were disqualified from government jobs.
Having a third child was treated as misconduct under the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1965.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav of the BJP-led government ordered withdrawal of this norm in June 2026.
The withdrawal is non-retroactive; affected employees dismissed earlier are not reinstated.
About 30,000 teachers were estimated to be affected under this norm.
The General Administration Department (GAD) manages service rules and executed the removal of the provision.
Sources & Further Reading
| Document / Website | Link |
|---|---|
| Madhya Pradesh removes two-child norm for government jobs | Open Madhya Pradesh removes two-child norm for government jobs ↗www.gktoday.in |
| MP govt scraps two-child bar for govt jobs - Social News XYZ | Open MP govt scraps two-child bar for govt jobs - Social News XYZ ↗www.socialnews.xyz |
| MP CM orders scrapping of two-child rule for govt job | Bhopal News - The Times of India | Open MP CM orders scrapping of two-child rule for govt job | Bhopal News - The Times of India ↗timesofindia.indiatimes.com |