‘Beard like clergyman’: NEET SS aspirant moves NMC as hospital asks him to shave, quits seat fearing trouble

A Muslim doctor from Jammu and Kashmir has alleged that he had to forgo a doctorate of national board (DrNB) seat at a Coimbatore private hospital after being told that he will have to shave his beard while studying at the super speciality institute.

The aspirant was allotted the seat at the Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital’s nephrology department in the second round of the ongoing NEET Super Speciality (SS) counselling . He claimed that when he went to the institute to confirm his admission, he was asked to sign a policy document that prohibits sporting a beard, threatening to deny him enrollment if he fails to do so. Since he considers the beard to be an integral part of his faith and religious identity, the candidate didn't join the hospital and is now seeking admission in the third round.

The institute has refuted the claim about denying admission, even as it defended the beard diktat as part of its ‘uniform’ and ‘policy’ for medical scholars.

NEET SS candidate’s beard ordeal

Requesting anonymity, the doctor told Careers360 that he had picked the institute due to the positive feedback about its nephrology programme, but was taken aback by its facial hair rule. “I was told that the institute has a dress code in place, which includes prohibition on beard. I explained that I was ready to follow the dress code, and even hide my beard with a mask, but it wasn't acceptable to them. The institute director said it's a corporate organisation and that the policy has been instituted by the chairman, who had studied medicine in the United States (US),” he said.

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He also explained to the authorities that his facial hairs, or lack thereof, have no bearing on his academic performance and ability to provide care to the patients, but to no avail. He never faced such a condition during his many years studying MBBS, MD and senior residency at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar. He added that if the institute had made its policy clear during the counselling process, he wouldn't have applied for it.

After the ordeal, the candidate filed a complaint with the Post Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC), the medical education regulator, arguing that the hospital’s policy is a violation of the constitutional principle of religious freedom.

“I humbly state that keeping a beard is an integral part of my Islamic faith, and I cannot be expected to compromise on this in a secular country like India, which guarantees freedom of religion under the Article 25 of the Constitution of India. Moreover, medical training and practice should be based on competence, ethics and patient care – not personal appearance that doesn't hinder hygiene or safety,” he wrote.

NBEMS intervention after NMC plaint

Following the complaint, the National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) intervened, and directed the institute to allow joining of the candidate “subject to fulfilment of eligibility criteria”.

However, the candidate got dismayed by his experience and instead has asked NBEMS to be allowed to participate in the subsequent admission round. “I no longer want to study at the institute, as they may cause trouble for the next three years. There's no point in litigation either as the chairman is a prominent person and I would get stressed,” he said, adding that he will try his luck at other institutes or participate in the counselling next year.

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When contacted, chairman Nalla G Palaniswami’s office directed Careers360 to KMCH’s medical director TP Kalaniti who asserted that the doctor wasn't denied admission due to his beard but non-payment of admission fee. “He can still come and join the institute,” he said.

Kalaniti, however, added that the doctor needs to adopt the institute's policy, which, according to him, doesn't bar the beard but rather wants it to be trimmed. “He has to trim his beard. We can't see a long beard like a clergyman,” he said, adding: “all our doctors need to be dressed uniformly, with shoes and ID card. They must be appealing to the patients”.

When asked what would be the acceptable length of the facial hairs, he said that he isn't aware of it and asked to speak to the chairman.

Kalaniti, however, stressed that the rule is applicable to students belonging to all the religions. When further asked if it covers observant Sikh candidates too, he suggested that they could tie their beards, before directing to the chairman again.