Shivraj Chouhan adds another leg to his ‘pro-women’ plank: 35% job quota

Reservation for women to apply to all state govt jobs barring in forest dept; Shivraj Chouhan, who is battling severe anti-incumbency plus side-lining within BJP, has made women the centre of his campaign push

The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has notified 35 per cent reservation for women in all government jobs except the forest department. (Facebook: Shivraj Singh Chouhan)

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AHEAD OF the Assembly elections, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has notified 35 per cent reservation for women in all government jobs except the forest department.

“Notwithstanding anything contained in any service rules, there shall be reserved 35 per cent of all posts in the service under the state (except forest department) in favour of women at the stage of direct recruitment, and the said reservation shall be horizontal and compartment-wise,” says the government notification issued on October 3.

The government has introduced an amendment to the Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (Special Provision for Appointment of Women) Rules, 1997, for providing the reservation.

Addressing a public event in Burhanpur on Tuesday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had also said that 50 per cent reservation would be provided for women in teaching posts. “I will recruit 35 per cent daughters in the police force… they will fight goons… Not only that, there will be 50 per cent daughters among teachers as well,” he had said.

With women accounting for over 48 per cent of the electorate, both the BJP and Congress are making efforts to woo them. According to the Election Commission, there are a total of 5.52 crore voters in the state, of which 2.85 crore are men, 2.67 crore are women, and 1,336 are transgenders.

The Congress has promised women-centric policies including financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month and domestic LPG cylinders priced at Rs 500.

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On the other hand, on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan in August, Chouhan had increased the financial aid given to women under the Ladli Behna scheme from Rs 1,000 per month to Rs 1,250, and said cooking gas cylinders would be made available for Rs 450.

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Among his other schemes focused on girls/ women are the Ladli Laxmi Yojana, under which Rs 30,000 is deposited by the state government after the birth of a girl, followed by more installments so that the beneficiary gets Rs 1.18 lakh after she turns 30; and the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah and Nikah Yojana, where the state government provides financial assistance of Rs 55,000 to tackle the dowry menace.

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Madhya Pradesh was also among the first states to introduce 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayats and urban bodies.

Last month, the women’s reservation Bill, which seeks to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, was also passed by Parliament.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More