Let \(f\,:\, X\, \longrightarrow \, Y\) be a generically smooth nonconstant morphism between irreducible projective curves, defined over an algebraically closed field, which is étale on an open subset of Y that contains both the singular locus of Y and the image, in Y, of the singular locus of X. We prove that the following statements are equivalent: (1) The homomorphism of étale fundamental groups \(\begin{aligned} f_*\,:\, \pi _1^{\textrm{et}}(X) \,\longrightarrow \,\pi _1^{\textrm{et}}(Y) \end{aligned}\) induced by f is surjective.
(2) There is no nontrivial étale covering \(\phi \,:\, Y'\, \longrightarrow \, Y\) admitting a morphism \(q:\, X\, \longrightarrow \, Y'\) such that \(\phi \circ q \,=\, f\) .
(3) The fiber product \(X\times _Y X\) is connected.
(4) \(\dim H^0(X,\, f^*f_* \mathcal {O}_X)\,=\, 1\) .
(5) \(\mathcal {O}_Y\, \subset \, f_*\mathcal {O}_X\) is the maximal semistable subsheaf.
(6) The pullback \(f^*E\) of every stable sheaf E on Y is also stable.