The hospital cited its grooming norms, which require male doctors to maintain a clean-shaven appearance or, at minimum, a trimmed beard – particularly because they work with immunocompromised patients.
Published Jul 02, 2025 | 6:43 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 03, 2025 | 10:50 AM
Cropped shot of an unrecognizable doctor holding a stethoscope
Synopsis: A Kashmiri doctor, Dr Zubair Ahmad, was reportedly forced to forgo his super-speciality nephrology seat at Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital (KMCH) in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, after he refused to shave his beard on religious grounds. He alleged that the hospital was not accommodating, despite his offer to adhere to all sterile procedures. The hospital maintains it was enforcing internal grooming norms for patient safety.
A 29-year-old Kashmiri doctor has accused Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital (KMCH) in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, of forcing him to relinquish a hard-won super-speciality seat in nephrology after he refused to adhere to the institution’s internal grooming norms.
Dr Zubair Ahmad had secured the coveted seat at the institute, affiliated with the Dr MGR Medical University, through an all-India merit list.
But before he could enrol, the hospital allegedly insisted that he shave his beard, citing internal hygiene protocols.
In response, Dr Ahmad, a practising Muslim, reportedly refused on religious grounds and instead offered to wear a surgical mask and adhere to all sterile procedures – to no avail.
“Upon visiting the hospital to complete his admission formalities, Dr Zubair was instructed to sign a policy document that prohibited sporting a beard, a condition that directly contradicts his religious obligations as a practising Muslim. Despite offering to conceal his beard with a surgical mask and expressing his full willingness to comply with all hygiene protocols and institutional dress codes, the hospital administration refused to accept any accommodation,” Nasir Khuehami, the National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Association, wrote in a letter addressed to Chief Minister MK Stalin, seeking redressal.
He continued: “Forcing a Kashmiri doctor to shave his beard, a core part of his religious identity, not only violates his fundamental rights but also creates fear, exclusion, and alienation in academic spaces where there should instead be acceptance, equity, and dignity. It compels individuals to choose between their education and their identity – a choice no citizen in a democratic society should ever be forced to make.”
A young Kashmiri doctor, Dr. Zubair Ahmad, was forced to quit his super-speciality seat at KMCH, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, after being asked to shave his beard. We have written to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru @mkstalin Ji, seeking urgent intervention in this… pic.twitter.com/CM3ZGOJvmH
— Nasir Khuehami (ناصر کہویہامی) (@NasirKhuehami) June 27, 2025
In response, the hospital cited its grooming norms, which require male doctors to maintain a clean-shaven appearance or, at minimum, a trimmed beard – particularly because they work with immunocompromised patients.
A circular issued by the hospital also prohibits “religious dressing” inside the premises.
“We have not denied admission to anyone. We were allotted the candidate, and we have to take admissions based on their rank given by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences,” a spokesperson of the hospital told The Indian Express.
“He was wearing a beard which reached his chest, and we wanted him to trim it because in the nephrology department – which he was planning to join – he will be dealing with several patients whose immunity is low. Personal hygiene in such cases is absolutely important.”
The latest in a series of controversies over dress codes in recent years, the incident once again sparked debate over institutional bias against minority communities.
“There are no clearly defined or written rules when it comes to grooming standards for doctors, especially like having a beard,” Dr RV Asokan, National President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) told South First.
“It’s more of an unwritten professional norm. Technically, someone could walk into an OT wearing shorts or even a ‘mundu’, but no one does that because there’s a general understanding of what’s appropriate in a hospital setting.”
Dr Asokan explained that individual institutions are well within their rights to set internal policies.
“If a hospital has a clean-shaven policy and someone joins there, they’re expected to follow it. We can’t expect the institution to change its entire code for one person,” he added.
However, he admitted the situation isn’t black and white: “Legally, denying someone a seat purely because of their beard, especially when they’ve earned it through merit, isn’t right. There’s definitely a legal and ethical grey area here.”
He also noted that “some youngsters today tend to make a big deal out of things,” and added that caste or minority identity sometimes gets drawn into institutional issues.
This isn’t the first time personal beliefs have clashed with institutional medical protocols.
A few years ago in Kerala, a group of female medical students reportedly insisted on wearing full-sleeved clothing inside the operation theatre, citing religious reasons and saying they couldn’t allow “other men” to see their wrists or hands, Dr Jayadevan noted.
Many medical colleges in India have strict dress codes for undergraduate students, especially while they are examining patients in hospitals. Medical colleges under Dr MGR Medical University, similarly, enforce dress codes during clinical practice.
Male students are expected to keep their hair neatly groomed and faces clean-shaven. Wearing jeans, shorts, T-shirts, or slippers is not allowed.
Only formal shirts with all buttons fastened and closed shoes are permitted. A half-sleeved white coat with the college logo is mandatory at all times inside the hospital and college.
Female students are also required to follow detailed rules: hair must be tied back, and sleeveless tops, flashy clothing, and accessories like bangles, anklets with bells, strong perfumes, or long nails are discouraged.
According to the hospitals, these guidelines are aimed at hygiene, patient safety, and maintaining a professional appearance. All students must wear freshly washed white coats every Monday and are required to keep at least three coats to ensure cleanliness is never compromised.
“Wearing a clean apron, proper clothes, closed-toe shoes, sterile scrubs inside the OT, gloves, and maintaining overall hygiene – these are basic and common rules followed in most hospitals,” said a medical student at AJ Medical College, Mangalore.
While many students understand the need for hygiene and discipline in medical settings, some feel that certain dress code rules, especially those enforced strictly during the admission process, are excessive.
“We study hard, clear tough entrance exams, and then we’re expected to show up with oily hair, clean-shaven faces, and extremely rigid clothing rules,” said one medical student.
Several students pointed out that such expectations feel overwhelming, especially when they’re already under stress during admissions.
Some noted that after joining, the rules tend to become slightly more relaxed in practice, but the initial phase is especially demanding.
“We agree with the need for cleanliness and professionalism, but it shouldn’t go so far that it starts affecting our identity or comfort,” another student said.
Many medical students, especially women, across India have raised similar concerns in discussions on platforms like Reddit and Quora, where they’ve questioned whether some of these long-standing institutional norms are still relevant today.
Female medical students often face subtle gender-based discrimination, where even wearing small earrings or dressing slightly differently can invite unnecessary remarks or judgement from faculty.
While students support maintaining professional standards, some feel that outdated or excessive grooming rules may cross the line from hygiene into the policing of personal appearance.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
