A STUDY OF FINGERPRINTS IN RELATION TO GENDER :A STUDY DONE ON MEDICAL STUDENTS OF SKIMS MEDICAL COLLEGE SRINAGAR

Study of finger prints as a method of identification is known as Dactylography or Dactyloscopy or Dermatoglyphics. Sex is among the most important information that discriminates individuals. Researchers addressed the use of fingerprint for gender identification which will be more helpful in short listing the suspects. Material and Method:A prospective cross sectional study was carried out over a period of one month among 80 medical students of SKIMS medical college, Srinagar. Students were asked to press their fingertip on the stamp pad and then to the paper to transfer the fingerprint impression. Results And Conclusion: Loops were the most common pattern, followed by whorls while arches were present in a smaller percentage of the study group and composites were least common. Finger prints show gender discrimination. Frequency of loops was found to be higher in females than in males whereas whorls were more frequent in males as compared to females. Arches were found more in females as compared to males.