Not just doctors, Rajasthan may soon see sarkari-certified 'jyotists' in hospitals too

In a proposal that is likely to promote scientific temper within the country — in the sense that those with a scientific bent of mind will feel their temper rise — the Rajasthan government is reportedly planning to provide horoscopes, cast by professional astrologers, to all newborns in the state’s public and private hospitals. The move is seen as an extension of the pre-poll promise made by Congress to set up a Vedic rituals and education board in the state.

While in the first phase of the scheme, which will be launched in Jaipur with the official title of the Rajiv Gandhi Janmapatri Yojana, the horoscopes will be given gratis, in the second phase, government hospitals will levy a charge of Rs 51 per forecast, and private hospitals will charge Rs 101 for the obligatory service.

Sceptics who deem astrology to be superstitious mumbojumbo might look askance at the scheme, but the state government believes it will help generate some 3,000 jobs for sarkari-certified jyotists who will be licenced to practice their calling.


Those who contend that horoscopes should aptly be spelt as ‘horror-scopes’, and soothsayers as ‘psued-sayers’, could be countered with the story of the astrologer who predicted that a mother-to-be would definitely give birth to a boy, adding the rider, ‘But if not, it will 100% be a girl.’ In the event, he was proved 100% right — on either count.