Vaishno Devi Medical College Loses Recognition Students Face Uncertainty

A major controversy erupted after the college admitted 46 out of 50 students in the first MBBS batch at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir. Following this, the National Medical Commission’s Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) withdrew the college’s Letter of Permission (LoP) to run the course. The NMC cited poor infrastructure, inadequate clinical material, a shortage of qualified full-time teaching staff, and an insufficient number of resident doctors. It warned that if the college continued under these conditions, it would seriously compromise the quality of medical education and harm the academic interests of students. The pressing question now is: what will happen to the students who have already enrolled?

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The National Medical Commission clarified that students admitted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence for the 2025–26 academic year will not lose their MBBS seats. The commission instructed the state and UT authorities to place these students in other recognized medical colleges within Jammu and Kashmir as supernumerary seats, following applicable norms, to protect their academic interests. The controversy began after the commission received complaints alleging that the college lacked proper infrastructure, adequate clinical material, sufficient full-time teaching staff, and enough resident doctors. The complaints also highlighted low inpatient and outpatient numbers and poor bed occupancy. Following a surprise inspection, the commission confirmed that the deficiencies were serious and substantial.

Hindu Groups Demand Reservation CM Calls for Student Transfer

Amid the controversy, local residents and several Hindu organisations demanded reservation for Hindu candidates, arguing that the medical college was built and largely funded through donations from devotees of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah accused the BJP of injecting communal politics into education, sports, and food habits. He called on the Centre to transfer the students to other medical colleges and shut down the newly opened institution to resolve the issue. He added, “If I were a parent of these students, I wouldn’t have sent them. We don’t want them to study in a place filled with politics. Place our children in other medical colleges and close Vaishno Devi Medical College. We don’t need such an institution.”

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