The issue had triggered protests with local residents and several Hindu organisations demanding reservation for Hindu candidates as the institute was being run with the donations at the Vaishnodevi Shrine.
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence
Amid the ongoing row over the admission of 46 Muslim students, out of a total of 50 seats, in the maiden batch for MBBS course at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) here, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has withdrawn its approval for the MBBS course citing “gross deficiencies” in infrastructure, faculty, and teaching standards.
The issue had triggered protests with local residents and several Hindu organisations demanding reservation for Hindu candidates as the institute was being run with the donations at the Vaishnodevi Shrine. They argued that the Rs 600 crore medical institute was built out of the funds of the Vaishnodevi Shrine.
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These protests had put the Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, who is the chairman of the Vaishnodevi Shrine Board, and also the BJP in a tight spot. Trapped in the unseemly controversy, it’s being said both appear to have found an escape route in shutting down the medical institute.
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After the closure of the institute, the students will be relocated to other government medical colleges within the Union Territory.
Reacting sharply to the development, senior Congress leader Ravinder Sharma questioned the BJP over the closure of what he termed a “premier medical institute”. “The BJP must explain what Jammu has achieved by shutting down a medical college associated with the holy shrine. Instead of rectifying norms or addressing deficiencies, the Jammu region has been made to suffer to cover up the failure of the Health Ministry headed by JP Nadda,” Sharma alleged.
Responding to the criticism, J&K BJP president and MP Sat Sharma said the issue was being unnecessarily politicised. Addressing a press conference here, he clarified that the NMC Act, 2019 empowers the commission to periodically assess medical institutions and take strict action wherever standards are not met. He said the medical college was inspected by a duly constituted team under the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB), which found serious shortcomings in infrastructure, availability of faculty and overall teaching standards.
“The decision to withdraw MBBS approval was neither religion-centric nor region-specific. It was purely based on the assessment report and the provisions of the NMC Act,” Sharma asserted.
He expressed gratitude to BJP President and Union Health Minister JP Nadda for his intervention to safeguard the future of students.
The NMC’s Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) yesterday withdrew the letter of permission granted to the SMVDIME for non-compliance with minimum standards.
The MARB issued an order saying all students admitted to the college during the counselling for the academic year 2025-26 shall be accommodated in other medical institutions in the Union Territory as supernumerary seats by the competent authority.
The assessment report highlighted extensive deficiencies in faculty strength, clinical material and infrastructure at the institute. These included a 39% deficiency in teaching faculty and 65% deficiency in tutors, demonstrators and senior residents against the prescribed requirement. The patient load and clinical services were also found to be far below norms, with OPD attendance of 182 at 1 pm against the required 400 and bed occupancy at 45% against the required 80%.
Intensive care units reportedly had only about 50% average bed occupancy, while the average number of deliveries was approximately 25 per month, which the MARB termed “grossly deficient”.
Further, student practical laboratories in some departments and the research laboratory were not available. Lecture theatres did not conform to the minimum standard requirements.
The report also recorded the absence of an ART centre and facilities for the management of MDR-TB, as well as gross infrastructure deficiencies in some departments, including the lack of separate male and female wards.
Only two operation theatres were functional against the requirement of five, there was no minor OT in the OPD area and the equipment for para-clinical subjects was deemed inadequate, the report said.
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