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A Muslim doctor from Jammu and Kashmir gave up his super-specialty seat, claiming he faced religious bias at a private medical college in Tamil Nadu.
Told to Shave Beard or Not Join
The doctor had secured a Doctorate of National Board (DNB) seat in nephrology at Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital, Coimbatore, through the NEET SS second round of counselling.
On the day of confirming his admission, he was reportedly asked to sign a document stating he must shave his beard, as per the hospital’s corporate policy. The doctor said he offered to cover it with a mask and comply with other protocols, but was told he wouldn’t be allowed to join unless he shaved.
He said nothing like this ever happened during his MBBS, MD, or senior residency at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar.
Complaint Filed with NMC
After this, he approached the National Medical Commission (NMC) with a formal complaint.
In his letter, he reportedly wrote, “I follow Islamic teachings and keeping a beard is part of my faith… How can facial hair affect my training or patient care, especially when it doesn’t affect hygiene?”
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) responded to the hospital, questioning how facial hair could impact training, and directed them to allow the doctor to join if all other criteria were met.
Doctor Opts Out
Despite the response from NBEMS, the doctor chose not to pursue the seat.
He said, “I will try another hospital or try next year. I don’t want to study in a place where I will be under pressure for three years,” adding that the policy should have been disclosed earlier.
He has also requested NBEMS to refund his ₹2 lakh security deposit and allow him to participate in the third round of counselling.
Hospital Issues Clarification
The hospital maintained that he was not rejected for having a beard, but was only asked to trim it. Dr. T.P. Kalaniti, the hospital’s medical director, reportedly told the media,
He can still join if he pays the fees and follows our policy. We don’t ask to remove the beard completely. It just has to be trimmed. We can’t allow a long beard like a clergyman. All our doctors must look clean and wear ID cards and proper shoes.
Dr. T.P. Kalaniti, Hospital’s Medical Director
He added that even Sikh candidates are required to tie their beards to meet the same appearance standards.
J&K Students Association’s Appeal
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, urging intervention in what they described as a “disturbing case of religious discrimination.”
They argued that the hospital’s appearance policy is not aligned with patient care or hygiene standards, and that such rules are discriminatory and exclusionary. The association called the lack of prior disclosure “unjust” and said it goes against constitutional rights.
Why It Matters
The incident has raised broader questions about institutional policies, religious freedom, and the balance between corporate rules and constitutional rights.
(Rh/Pooja Bansal/MSM)
