The National Medical Commission (NMC) has taken back the Letter of Permission (LoP) it gave to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College in Reasi district, J&K, to start an MBBS course. The NMC cited serious issues amid rising controversy over student admissions.
This decision follows increasing tensions regarding the admission of Muslim students. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti (SMVDSS) and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have called for the medical college’s closure. All 50 students will be transferred to other recognized medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir.
Why NMC Withdraws LoP to Vaishno Devi Medical College
Recently, an NMC team inspected the institute and allegedly found problems with faculty strength, clinical material, and infrastructure.
The NMC has instructed that students admitted by SMVDIME for the 2025-26 academic year placed in supernumerary seats at other government medical colleges within the J&K Union Territory.
Withdraw 50 MBBS seats
BJP MLA R S Pathania said on X, “Quality over quantity: NMC has revoked permission for 50 MBBS seats at SMVDIME due to a failure to meet essential standards. It reaffirms commitment to quality. Every affected student seamlessly transferred to a supernumerary seat in other UT colleges.”
SMVDIME in Reasi district allowed 50 MBBS seats for the 2025-26 academic session. Admissions to Vaishno Devi Medical College were based on NEET scores. Of the 50 students admitted, 42 were Muslims, and one was a Sikh. This sparked a controversy, with Hindu groups, including the BJP, opposing the admission of Muslim students.
About 60 groups formed the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti (SMVDSS) to lead the protests. They initially sought to cancel the admissions of Muslim students and later demanded the closure of the medical college.
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