A doctor who changed his name after completing MBBS must correct educational records before he can press for relief in a Medical Officer recruitment, the Rajasthan High Court has held, leaving him free to return once the school and college records are rectified.
Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court has declined to direct the authorities to accept the Medical Officer Direct Recruitment Examination, 2026 application of a doctor under his new, gazetted name, holding that the relief cannot be granted until the name is corrected in his school and college documents [Jai Gurjar v. State of Rajasthan and Others].
Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand disposed of the writ petition on October 12, 2026, with liberty to the petitioner to approach the authorities again for the correction. The Court added that it had not directed any authority to change the name in his educational documents or registration certificate.
How the case reached the Court
The petitioner’s educational documents carry the name “Jai Shri Ram”. After completing his degree course, he changed his name to “Jai Gurjar”, and the change was notified in the Rajasthan Gazette by the Government of Rajasthan on June 4, 2026. On the strength of that notification, he applied to the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) and the Rajasthan Medical Council (RMC) for rectification of his name.
His counsel told the Court that RUHS had, by an office order dated September 30, 2026, directed SMS Medical College, Jaipur, to issue his MBBS (2019) migration certificate in the name “Jai Shri Ram alias Jai Gurjar”, and that his RMC application (No. RMC-411088, dated August 5, 2026) showed the status “Approved By Registrar”. He sought a direction that his application for the recruitment examination be processed in the name “Jai Gurjar”, that it not be rejected merely because his RMC registration certificate still bore his former name, and that the RMC issue a revised certificate.
The legal position
A recruitment notice issued by RUHS in August 2026 for Medical Officer posts requires candidates to hold Rajasthan Medical Council registration before the written examination, which makes the name on the registration certificate central to a candidate’s eligibility. The State and the other respondents opposed the petition on that footing. They submitted that the petitioner was admitted to the MBBS course on documents showing the name “Jai Shri Ram”, so his name could not be changed in the course records or registered with the RMC until his school and college documents were corrected.
What the Court said
Taking note that RUHS had already issued an office order for a migration certificate in the name “Jai Shri Ram alias Jai Gurjar”, the Court said RUHS may issue the certificate with that clarification. It then held:
“This Court is of the considered opinion that until and unless the name of the petitioner is corrected in the school/college documents, the relief sought for in the instant writ petition cannot be granted to him.”
The directions
The petitioner is at liberty to approach the respondents again for the necessary correction. If his name is rectified in the school and college documents by the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education and RUHS, he may furnish the corrected documents to the concerned authorities. The stay application and all pending applications were also disposed of.
Before parting with the order, the Court made clear that it had not directed any authority to change the petitioner’s name in his educational documents or registration certificate, and that the authorities are at liberty to proceed with any application submitted by him strictly in accordance with law.
Why the order matters
A gazette notification changes a person’s name in law, but it does not by itself rewrite the educational record on which a professional registration was granted. The order reflects the position that a candidate who wants recruitment authorities to treat him by a new name must first bring the underlying school, college and registration records into line through the bodies that issued them.
The Court has not ruled on whether the petitioner is entitled to the corrections, or on the recruitment itself. That question stays with RUHS, the Board and the RMC, to be decided in accordance with law.
Case Title: Jai Gurjar v. State of Rajasthan and Others
Case Number: S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 20429/2026
Bench: Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand, Rajasthan High Court (Jaipur Bench)
Date of Order: October 12, 2026
Appearances: Mr. Digvijay Singh Rajawat for the petitioner; Mr. Bhupendra Pareek, Mr. Yash Joshi and Mr. Rahul Verma (for Ms. Manju Joshi, AGC) for the respondents