Donkey Gets Nursing Registration Certificate in India, Exposing Gaps in Online Verification System

BHOPAL: A bizarre incident in India’s Madhya Pradesh has raised questions over the verification process of the state’s online nursing registration system after a test application submitted using a donkey’s photograph and fictitious details resulted in a provisional nursing registration certificate.

The application was submitted by NSUI state vice-president Ravi Parmar, who said he was testing whether the Madhya Pradesh Nurses Registration Council’s online portal properly verified applicants’ identities and educational documents.

According to reports, the application carried a donkey’s photograph and deliberately false information. The father’s name was entered as “Donkey Father”, while other fields also contained fictitious details, including “Animal” in the caste section.

Despite the obviously irregular information and documents that did not establish any genuine nursing qualification, the application was processed after the prescribed fee was paid and a digital certificate was generated on September 25.

The certificate reportedly registered the applicant as a Registered Nurse and Registered Midwife and even recorded Bhopal Nursing College as the institution where the applicant had supposedly completed BSc Nursing training. The certificate was shown as valid until September 2031.

Parmar said the exercise was intended to demonstrate whether the portal was adequately checking applicants and their supporting documents before issuing registration certificates.

The incident has sparked concerns about the possibility of fraudulent applications passing through the system if identity and qualification checks are not properly conducted.

The Madhya Pradesh Nurses Registration Council has subsequently faced pressure over the issue. Reports said the registration process was put on hold while additional verification safeguards were being introduced. The council has also maintained that the certificate was provisional and subject to verification.