BHOPAL: A donkey has been issued a provisional registration certificate as a “Registered Nurse and Registered Midwife” by the Madhya Pradesh Nurses Registration Council (MPNRC) after an application carrying its photograph, fictitious personal details and unrelated documents was processed through the council’s online system.
The MPNRC issued the digital certificate on September 25 in the name of “Donkey MPNRC”. The application was submitted by NSUI state vice-president Ravi Parmar, who said he wanted to test how rigorously the council’s online registration system scrutinised applications and supporting documents.
The application listed the father’s name as “Donkey Father”, religion as “Other”, caste as “Animal” and an address along the lines of “wherever there is space”. The photograph uploaded was that of a donkey.
After the prescribed fee was paid, the application went through the system and a digital certificate was generated. It recorded the applicant as having completed BSc Nursing training from Bhopal Nursing College between July 16, 2021 and August 13, 2025. The certificate showed registration as a “Registered Nurse and Registered Midwife” and was valid until September 2031.
Parmar said the exercise was intended to test whether genuine applicants’ qualifications were being adequately verified. The episode has also raised concerns about the possibility of people with fraudulent credentials exploiting similar gaps and entering healthcare facilities.
Under the earlier registration system, applicants had to submit a wider range of educational records, including Class 10 and 12 marksheets, nursing course completion documents, provisional degrees or diplomas and marksheets for different academic sessions. These documents were subject to verification and authentication.
The newer online system was introduced to reduce paperwork and eliminate middlemen. Applicants upload their documents and receive provisional registration, with verification to follow. The council has maintained that applicants are responsible for the authenticity of the information and documents they submit. Following the incident, the online registration facility was temporarily taken off the portal. Officials said additional safeguards were being introduced and applications and documents already processed would be examined. An FIR is also likely against the unidentified person responsible for submitting the fraudulent information.
MPNRC head Dr Beenu Kushwaha said provisional registration was subject to verification and could be cancelled if fraudulent photographs, information or documents were detected.
“There is a difference between provisional registration and permanent certification. This provisional registration is subject to verification by the Council. Essentially, anyone doing this (registering a donkey) is committing fraud,” she said.
Kushwaha said the online process was introduced under central government guidelines to make registration transparent and remove middlemen.
A registration number is generated when an application is submitted, followed by online verification of qualifications and documents. Registrations can be cancelled within seven to 15 days if fraudulent information, photographs or documents are detected, she said.
The council is also planning a data exchange mechanism involving DigiLocker. Its online portal requires documents attached to registration applications to be verified by the concerned college principal.
The council has stressed that the donkey’s provisional registration does not amount to an unquestioned permanent qualification. The incident has nevertheless highlighted the need for robust verification at the initial stage of an online registration process, particularly for a sensitive healthcare profession.
