MBBS Not Equivalent to Physiotherapy Degree for Doctor Posts, Rules Allahabad HC

Rejecting Petition of UPPSC-Selected Candidate, the HC ruled that Physiotherapy and MBBS cannot be treated at par for medical officer jobs.

The Allahabad High Court has clarified that a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) degree cannot be considered equivalent to MBBS for recruitment as a Medical Officer (Allopathy) in Uttar Pradesh. The court dismissed a petition filed by a candidate who had been selected by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) despite holding only a BPT degree.

The division bench of Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice Donadi Ramesh gave this verdict while hearing the petition of candidate Ujjawal Kumar. Kumar had challenged the cancellation of his appointment after being selected for the post of Medical Officer (Allopathy), arguing that his BPT degree qualified him for the job.

However, the court found that physiotherapy is a distinct paramedical field and not equivalent to an MBBS, which is a mandatory qualification for the post. The court stated that allowing BPT graduates to work as allopathic doctors would risk public health and compromise standards of medical care.

The Uttar Pradesh government had cancelled the appointment after initially selecting the BPT holder for the role. The court said, “A person trained in physiotherapy cannot be allowed to perform duties meant for allopathic doctors.” It added that MBBS is the minimum essential qualification for such posts as per UPPSC guidelines. The judgment reinforces the importance of appropriate qualifications in recruitment for public health roles.

The decision comes as a clear signal against the dilution of medical standards and sets a precedent that paramedical degrees cannot substitute for MBBS in appointments to doctor posts in government services.