Raipur. The Chhattisgarh High Court has dismissed the petitions of 15 serving doctors seeking extension of their study leave for postgraduate studies. A single bench of Justice Bibhu Dutta Guru clarified that the increase in the maximum limit of study leave from 24 to 36 months, effective March 3, 2025, will not apply retrospectively to the 24 months of leave already approved and availed.

In fact, these doctors had already been granted 24 months of study leave for postgraduate medical studies. Later, on March 3, 2025, the state government relaxed Rule 44, increasing the maximum study leave for PG courses to 36 months.

Citing this new order, the doctors had demanded that their previous 24-month study leave be extended to 36 months. However, the High Court ruled that the new order did not explicitly provide for the extension of the benefit to older cases. Therefore, the later order could not be applied to previously approved leave.

The case of Dr. Meenakshi Sood was also cited, but the previous order issued in her favor had been revoked on July 31, 2026, following objections from the Finance Department. The court held that similar benefits could not be granted to other doctors based on the r.