Shrunk between two exams! Gujarat police aspirants move HC over height cut-off

AHMEDABAD: In a twist that has left aspiring cops baffled, several candidates in Gujarat's ongoing police recruitment have moved the Gujarat high court, claiming they seem to have "shrunk" between recruitment drives.

The trouble began during the Physical Efficiency Test (PET), where the minimum height requirement stands at 165cm. This time around, some candidates were measured below the mark, abruptly halting their hopes of donning the khaki. The petitioners, however, insisted that just a couple of years ago, during the previous recruitment cycle, they comfortably measured 165cm or more and were cleared for further stages.


Among those who approached the court are Tushar Bhaliya and Govind Sindhav from Gandhinagar district, Pappu Parmar from Banaskantha, and Mukesh Chauhan from Ahmedabad. They had applied for different posts in the police department and were previously declared eligible based on their height. This time, however, they were found to be under 165cm and declared ineligible.

As similar pleas kept landing before the bench, Justice Nirzar Mehta introduced a small filter — each petitioner must deposit Rs 10,000 with the court registry — refundable if their height claim proves correct.

To settle the matter, the high court ordered a remeasurement under medical supervision. The candidates have been directed to appear before the medical officer at GMERS Civil Hospital, Sola, on Feb 19, carrying proof of their deposit. The hospital authorities have been asked to make necessary arrangements.

And to ensure there is no further debate over inches and centimetres, the court made it clear that transparency was non-negotiable. It ordered, "…and the entire exercise be videographed and a report be produced before this court on the returnable date, ie February 23, 2026".