Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey on Wednesday redefined virginity in his attempt to clarify a question in a marital declaration form at Patna’s Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences. The newly-inducted minister told ANI that there was nothing objectionable in the form because virgin simply meant “kanya” or “kunwari”, which translate to “unmarried girl”.

The IGIMS marital declaration form asked employees to specify whether they are a “bechelor/widower/virgin”. On Thursday, however, the institute issued a new document, in which they rephrased their first question and replaced “virgin” with “unmarried”. The form now asks employees to declare whether they are married, a widow or unmarried.

Pandey further said that he had asked the specialty clinic to clarify the questions. “They said that this is the format used by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi,” the minister added. “Since 1983, it is being used in every organisation of the country.”

IGIMS Medical Superintendent Dr Manish Mandal told the Hindustan Times on Thursday that the director or the institute’s board of governors would need to approve any changes to the form’s format. “The director, who is joining today after four days of leave, will take a call on the matter,” Mandal said. “The word ‘virgin’ mentioned on the form...only seeks to know the employees’ marital status, so their dues can be settled on the basis of their declaration in the event of death while in service.”

Some IGIMS officials blamed the controversy on poor translation by whoever drafted the form.