SRINAGAR: National Medical Commission (NMC) has decided to revoke recognition to Vaishno Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) after controversy surrounding admission of Muslim students to the medical college.
The National Medical Commission (NMC) yesterday evening withdrew the Letter of Permission (LoP) granted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), Reasi, for running the MBBS course with 50 seats for academic year 2025-26 for failure to meeting essential standards.
The NMC has directed that students admitted by SMVDIME for academic year 2025-26 shall be accommodated as supernumerary seats in other Government Medical Colleges within J&K Union Territory by the competent authority.
The selection of 43 non Hindu students including 42 Muslims and one Sikh among the first batch of 50 students in the SMVDIME had created controversy as the BJP and other Hindu groups opposed selection of Muslims in the medical college saying the Shrine board is being run by offerings and donations of Hindus and only Hindu students should be admitted there.
About 60 Hindu groups formed Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti (SMVDSS) to spearhead agitation initially for cancelling the admission of Muslim students and later for closure of the medical college.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti (SMVDSS) have welcomed the decision, while the ruling National Conference and Congress have slammed BJP over de-recognition to SMVDIME and termed it a big and devastating loss for the Jammu region.
National Conference provincial president Jammu Rattan Lal Gupta termed cancellation of recognition of Vaishno Devi medical college as a major setback for Jammu region.
“The cancellation of the recognition of the Vaishno Devi medical college is the work of BJP. People celebrate when a medical college is sanctioned to a particular area but unfortunately the BJP is celebrating the withdrawal of recognition of Vaishno Devi medical college,” he said.
“The BJP created a wedge between Hindus and Muslims in the name of faith. It is very unfortunate.” Gupta said the BJP has ruined continues to do so. “Are they taking Jammu to development or destruction.”
He said withdrawal of recognition of medical college sanctioned to a particular area is a major setback to that area and this is a major setback and devastation for the Jammu region. “The medical college was sanctioned and classes were going on. They got it cancelled in the name of religion. The future generations will never forgive them.”
J&K Congress chief spokesman Ravinder Sharma also slammed the BJP. “BJP must explain what Jammu achieved by closing down a premier Medical Institute named after holy Mata Vaishno Devi ji. Just to cover up the failure of Health Ministry headed by Shri J P Nadda, Jammu region made to suffer instead of change of norms,” Sharma posted on X.
“We welcome the decision of NMC to withdraw recognition of Vaishno Devi medical university,” J&K BJP chief and MP Sat Sharma told reporters in Jammu.
According to Sharma, the NMC team, during its surprise inspection of the medical college on January 2, found serious deficiencies.
“The Shrine Board is the symbol of Hindu faith and it runs on the offerings and donations of Hindus,” the J&K BJP president said.
J&K BJP president thanked the party leadership and J P Nadda for cancelling the recognition of the Vaishno Devi medical college.
“I also want to thank central leadership for it,” he said, adding students admitted in the college would now be adjusted in other medical colleges in the UT.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti celebrated the cancellation of recognition of Vaishno Devi Medical College and termed it as a “victory”.
“This agitation lasted for 45 days and we received unconditional support from people. We are thankful to Union Home Minister and Union Health Minister for respecting our faith and cancelled the recognition of the medical college,” Sangarsh Samiti convenor Colonel (Retd) Sukhvir Mankotia said.
Mankotia said medical college would have remained a source of problem forever and closing the institution was a better option and best solution.
Another Sangarsh Samiti thanked Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who is chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. “We have come to know that LG also took up the issue and after fulfilling all legal issues, the recognition of the medical college was cancelled.”
“We feel that LG has also played his part in this decision,” he said.
