NMC pulls Letter of Permission to Vaishno Devi medical college in Jammu and Kashmir, here’s why- Explainer

New Delhi: Amid the rising controversy over student admissions, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has withdrawn the Letter of Permission (LoP) granted to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district to start an MBBS course. The commission has cited serious deficiencies in infrastructure, including faculty strength and clinical material, among other things.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti (SMVDSS) and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have called for the closure of the medical college after the row over the admission of the Muslim students escalated.
It is important to note that the students admitted to the MBBS course at SMVDIME for the academic year 2025-26 based on their respective merit in NEET will be accommodated by the competent authority in other government institutions within the Union Territory as supernumerary seats.

National Medical Commission withdraws MBBS nod to Vaishno Devi medical college: Here’s Why

Recently, a team of NMC officials conducted an inspection of the institute and reportedly found deficiencies in faculty strength, clinical material and infrastructure at the medical college. The officials have said that the students admitted by SMVDIME for the academic year 2025–26 shall be accommodated in other government medical colleges within the J&K Union Territory by the competent authority.

“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 will be seamlessly transferred to a supernumerary seat in other UT colleges,” BJP MLA R S Pathania, in a post on X, said.

Here are some of the important details:

• The SMVDIME sanctioned 50 MBBS seats for the 2025–26 academic session.
• Selection for admission to the institute was done through NEET
• Out of the 50 students admitted, 42 were Muslims and one was a Sikh.
• This triggered a row, with Hindu groups including the BJP, opposing the selection of Muslim students.
• About 60 groups formed the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti (SMVDSS) to spearhead the agitation
• They initially seeked cancellation of the admission of Muslim students and later demanded closure of the medical college.
• The SMVDSS, BJP and other Hindu groups opposed the admission of Muslims in the medical college
• According to the BJP and SMVDSS, Vaishno medical college is being run on offerings from Hindus and only Hindu students should be admitted to the medical institute.

“Only those who have faith in Vaishno Devi should get admission there. The devotees who contribute to the shrine for promoting Sanatan culture and religion should only get admission,” J&K BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma had said while opposing the admission of Muslim students.

What the report stated:

As per the report submitted by the authorities, there is a gross inadequacies in infrastructure. They have noted that the student practical laboratories and research labs were not available in some departments. They also highlighted that the lecture theatres did not meet minimum standard requirements, and library resources were far below norms.

Essential facilities, such as an ART centre, an MDR-TB management facility, adequate operating theatres, and separate male and female wards, were also found to be missing or inadequate.

Close That Medical College: Omar Abdullah

Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that the medical college be closed due to the highly politicised atmosphere and that students admitted to the college be adjusted in other medical colleges. “Close that medical college. It is not even worth opening. Shift the students to some other medical college,” Omar said.