Kashmiri Muslim doctor forgoes DNB seat in Coimbatore hospital over beard row

The Hindu

2 days ago

The Jammu and Kashmir Students' Association on Thursday alleged that a Muslim doctor from Kashmir Valley was forced to forgo his DNB (nephrology) seat at a Coimbatore-based private hospital, after he was asked to sign a 'policy document' that 'prohibited' sporting a beard. The association sought the intervention of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in the matter.
The letter, posted on X, alleged that Zubair Ahmad faced religious discrimination at the Kovai Medical Center and Hospital (KMCH). However, hospital sources alleged that he was only asked to trim his beard.
Association national convenor Nasir Khuehami said Dr. Ahmad was allotted the seat through the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Super Specialty (NEET SS) courses.
When the allottee went to the hospital for completing admission formalities, he was allegedly instructed to sign a 'policy document' that prohibited the sporting of a beard, 'a condition that directly contradicts his religious obligations as a practising Muslim', the association alleged.
It alleged that despite offering to conceal his beard with a surgical mask and expressing willingness to comply with all hygiene protocols and institutional dress codes, the hospital administration told him that failure to trim or shave his beard would result in denial of enrolment. According to the association, had the policy on the beard been transparently disclosed during the counselling process, the doctor would not have applied to the institution.
Request to NBEMS
Dr. Ahmad had no other choice but to withdraw from the programme. He had requested permission from the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to attend the third round of counselling and sought the return of his security deposit of ₹2 lakh made during the admission process.
A hospital source alleged that since Dr. Ahmad had a very long beard, which could not be covered with a mask, he was merely asked to trim it. Since a doctor pursuing DNB (nephrology) must undergo training in operation theatres, where complex procedures, including organ harvesting and transplantation, are performed, he was told a very long beard might come in contact with the operating area or surgical equipment. However, the doctor did not want to trim the beard and left without joining the course, the source said.
The source said Muslim students from Jammu and Kashmir study at the hospital and there was no restrictions for anyone to keep neatly trimmed beards. Besides requesting the doctor and advising him to join the course, a Kashmiri student also spoke to a Muslim cleric in Srinagar on the mater.
The cleric also told the doctor there was nothing wrong in trimming the beard to follow hygiene practices as part of medical education, the hospital source said.
After the doctor wrote to NBEMS alleging denial of seat, the hospital was asked to admit him. The hospital replied that he was not denied admission and he was permitted to join. The NBEMS later extended the time for the doctor to join the hospital, the source said.
The hospital's Medical Director refused to comment on the matter. Though attempts were made to reach the students' association over phone for further clarifications, it did not respond.