At a time when Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019, which provide an accelerated pathway to Indian citizenship for persecuted minorities (mostly Hindus) from neighbouring Muslim dominated countries, promises to protect the rights of migrants, a Hindu doctor from Pakistan is running from pillar to post for getting admission in PG course in India, that too after clearing the NEET PG entrance exam.
Two young advocates from Jaipur – Aditya Mishra and Anshuman Singh Khangarot – are fighting for the cause of a young Hindu doctor from Pakistan, who wants to pursue higher studies in India.
Mishra and Khangarot filed a petition before High Court when the doctor from Pakistan – Dr Shankar Kumar Goyal – was denied admission by Jaipur's Mahatma Gandhi Hospital and Medical College even after clearing the requisite NEET PG examination.
The High Court bench of Sameer Jain has directed petitioners to file representation before National Medical Council (NMC) providing all the facts and supporting documents. Justice Jain also directed NMC to adjudicate the matter, strictly in accordance with the law, within a period of seven days.
“The court also gave liberty to the petitioners to take appropriate recourse of their grievances are not taken care of,” the counsel said.
What is the case?
Goyal cleared the counselling after submitting the qualifying documents before the admission committee of NEET. He was allotted Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital for post graduate course of MD in Pharmacology. However, at the time of admission the college demanded three documents from Goyal within 24 hours to allow admission. These documents included student education visa, security clearance from ministry of home affairs and no objection certificate from medical council of Pakistan.
“After getting go ahead form chairman NEET PG admission, it was unlawful for the college to ask for documents, that too in an extremely short span (24 hours). Had the documents been mandatory, chairman NEET would not have allotted the college with those,” said Aditya Mishra.
Out of these documents, getting the security clearance from ministry of home affairs is responsibility of the college.
As per a notice issued by UGC on February 3, 2025, the commission has advised colleges to seek security clearance for foreign students from ministry of home affairs through minsitry of education, which has been made the nodal agency.
“In this case the college should have approached home affairs through ministry of education for security clearance of Goyal. It's gross injustice that Goyal was denied admission due to lack of security clearance,” said Anshuman Singh.
Who is Dr Shankar Kumar Goyal?
Dr Shankar Kumar Goyal is a Hindu citizen of Pakistan. He completed his MBBS degree from medical college in Lahore. The. He came on a pilgrimage VISA to India applied for PG course in India. He appeared in NEET PG under non Overseas Citizen of India (non-OCI) category and cleared the exam. After clearing he attended the counselling held by the chairman NEET admission and was allotted Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital. He also deposited requisite amount of Rs 5 lakh for counselling.
Meanwhile he also applied for Long Term Visa (LTV) which is still pending with ministry of home affairs.
“Had LTV been granted, I would have easily got the admission without any problem. I request Indian government to look into the matter with sympathy,” said Dr Goyal.
Vivek Shukla is a management graduate who has worked in corporate worked for 20 years and is now pursuing his passion — news.
