SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Nov 11: A tribal girl selected for MBBS admission under the state quota has faced complications after officials at Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH), Dhanbad, questioned her changed surname.
The candidate, who hails from Godda district in Jharkhand, was allotted a seat under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. However, when she appeared for admission, authorities withheld her enrollment after noticing a discrepancy in her surname, which differed from that mentioned in her official documents.
Surname change creates confusion
The student completed her schooling in Bankura district of West Bengal, where she adopted “Dutta” as her surname in place of her father’s surname. Although she submitted all valid documents to support her ST status, the surname change created confusion among the admission authorities.
Coincidentally, SNMMCH admission in-charge Dr. Ganesh Kumar was on leave during the initial verification period. On his return, a day before the last date of admission, he reviewed the student’s papers and allowed her to take conditional admission.
Verification ordered by college principal
Acting on Dr. Ganesh Kumar’s recommendation, SNMMCH Principal Dr. D.K. Gindauria formed a special committee to verify the student’s documents in Godda to confirm her ST status.
“Since the Godda Circle Officer had already issued a certificate certifying her as an ST candidate, there was no clear reason to deny admission. However, the college has taken an affidavit stating that if her documents are found invalid, her admission will be cancelled,” said Dr. Ganesh Kumar.
College authorities maintained that the use of “Dutta” as a surname caused the initial confusion, as it is not commonly associated with tribal communities in Jharkhand.
