Students assn seeks TN CM’s help over ‘bias’ against Kashmiri doc
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association on Thursday wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, seeking his intervention in a case of alleged religious discrimination against a young Muslim doctor from the Kashmir Valley.
The doctor, Dr Zubair Ahmad, was allotted a DrNB (Nephrology) seat at Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital (KMCH), Coimbatore, through the NEET-SS second counselling round conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). He was allegedly asked to shave his beard.
In its letter, the Association said that upon reporting to the hospital to complete admission formalities, Zubair was reportedly asked to sign a policy document that prohibited sporting a beard, a condition he said contradicted his religious obligations as a practising Muslim.
Despite offering to cover his beard with a surgical mask and agreeing to comply with all hygiene protocols and institutional dress codes, the hospital administration allegedly refused to accommodate him.
National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association Nasir Khuehami said that the hospital was unequivocal in its demand that Zubair shave or trim his beard in order to enrol.
Zubair was informed that KMCH has a dress code prohibiting beards. Even after he assured the administration of his willingness to adhere to all professional norms and conceal his beard if required, the policy remained non-negotiable.
Zubair has completed his MBBS, MD and senior residency at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, without encountering any such restriction.
The letter further pointed out that had this beard policy been transparently disclosed during the counselling process, Zubair would not have opted for the institute. With no alternative left, he was compelled to withdraw from the programme, despite having secured the seat on an all-India merit basis.
He has since requested NBEMS to allow his participation in the third round of counselling and to refund his Rs 2 lakh security deposit submitted during the admission process.
The association condemned the incident as a clear violation of Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to religious freedom.
“The hospital’s insistence on a so-called ‘clean-shaven, corporate appearance’ is neither essential to medical education nor aligned with patient care, ethics or hygiene, the core pillars of the medical profession,” the association argued.
The association expressed particular disappointment that such an incident occurred in Tamil Nadu, a state known for its progressive values and inclusive governance.
The association urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to take urgent steps to ensure that religious freedoms are protected across educational and healthcare institutions in Tamil Nadu.
J & K