SMVDU Jammu News: Protests was sparked by MBBS admission at the SMVD Institute of Medical Excellence, where Sangharsh Samiti accused Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for being religious bias in the admission of non-Hindu student.
The recognition of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Sciences has been revoked. Medical Assessment and Rating Board of the National Medical Commission has withdrawn the Letter of Permission (LOP) issued for conducting the MBBS course with 50 seats for the academic year 2025-26. National Medical Commission officials stated that this decision, taken on January 6, 2026, is effective immediately and was made following serious findings of non-compliance with minimum standards during a surprise inspection.
According to the officials, Police on Tuesday acted strictly by sealing the Civil Secretariat in Jammu to prevent protest planned by currently formed Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti. This protest triggered by MBBS admissions at the SMVD Institute of Medical Excellence, with Samiti being accusing the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for religious discrimination and admission of non-Hindu students. The group has demanded to shut down admission process and warned of the intensified agitation through boycotts.
SMVDU Jammu News
The college had applied for the establishment of a new medical college with 50 MBBS seats for the academic year 2025-26 under the public notices issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) on December 5, 2024, and December 19, 2024. Following the processing of the application, the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) issued a letter of permission on September 8, 2025, to commence the MBBS course. This letter of permission was subject to several conditions, including maintaining the required standards, allowing surprise inspections, providing accurate information, and rectifying any deficiencies before renewal.
The MARB also reserved the right to withdraw or cancel the permission in case of submission of false information, non-compliance with regulations, or failure to meet regulatory norms.
Omar Abdullah urges closure of SMVD Medical College amid protests, Calls for student transfer to safer institutions
Abdullah expressed concern over environment at the SMVD Institute of Medical Excellence, He stated that no student would want to study when the current tension proceeds. He also added that parent would also hesitate to send children to such institution. Certainly, Union Ministry of Health should be considered for transferring these students to another medical college under our administration so that their education should not get hampered. Abdullah told reporters.
His comments also came focusing on current ongoing protests by the BJP-backed Sangharsh Samiti, a newly formed coalition of right-wing groups. The group established after admission for the first MBBS batch of 50 students were finalised in November through NEET examination. Among which inaugural batch consists of 42 Muslim students, mostly from Kashmir, 7 Hindus from Jammu and one Sikh student.
Abdullah emphasised, “We should not send students to a place mired in politics. That medical college should not operate under these circumstances. Close it, and accommodate these children in another government medical college where they can continue their studies safely.”
NMC cites infrastructure gaps, faculty shortage, and low patient load in surprise inspection of SMVD Medical College
Following the issuance of the order, the commission received several complaints regarding inadequate infrastructure, clinical facilities, and a shortage of qualified full-time teaching faculty and resident doctors at the college. The complaints also mentioned issues such as insufficient admissions and outpatient load, and a low availability of beds. Under Section 28(7) of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, which empowers the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) to conduct surprise inspections of medical institutions without prior notice, a team of assessors inspected the college on January 2, 2026. This inspection subsequently formed the basis for the adverse findings.
