NMC Cancels Jammu Medical College’s MBBS Approval Over ‘Severe Faults’

On December 5th, 2024, The National Medical Commission's (NMC's) Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) issued a notification requesting proposals for the establishment of new medical colleges that will provide an MBBS program with 50 available seats in 2025-26. On December 19th, 2024, The NMC published a press release reinforcing the earlier announcement made on December 5th regarding the establishment of additional medical colleges for Academic Year 2025-26. A press release issued by the NMC on December 19, 2024, reiterated this call for new medical colleges for the Academic Year 2025-26. The NMC has rescinded its Letter of Permission to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, located in Reasi Jammu & Kashmir.

In response to the aforementioned announcements, the NMC received other applications, including one for the creation of a new medical college called Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence. The MARB issued a LoP to the aforementioned college following the proper procedures, which included document review and in-person inspection by qualified assessors. Consequently, the institution made admissions," stated a letter from NMC.

"However, the NMC has received numerous complaints over the past two weeks containing serious allegations against the institution, including inadequate clinical material, inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of qualified full-time teaching faculty, and an inadequate number of resident physicians," the statement stated.

In order to confirm the accuracy of the complaints, the MARB made the decision to carry out an unexpected physical inspection. The team's assessment report proved that the allegations were accurate and supported. It said, "The shortcomings found were severe and significant in character.

What happens to students already admitted?

The Commission of Medical Education pointed out that if the institution would continue operating under such a condition, it would not only ruin the standard of medical education but also impair the academic benefits of the students.

The medical commission has concluded that the state/UT authorities will be the ones who will decide which students will be admitted in other medical institutions as supernumerary seats, according to the regulations that are applicable, in order to protect the rights of the students already admitted for the academic year 2025–26.

Decision comes amid recent controversy

The decision comes amid the recent debate regarding the acceptance of 46 Muslim students out of 50 for the first intake of the MBBS course at the medical college.

Local residents and various Hindu factions are requesting that specific quotas be allotted for by Hindu candidates attending the Medical College, as it was brought into existence with financial support from the Hindu public through Donations made at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, thus, through these donations, they should receive their "fair share/portion" of the financial benefits generated by this Medical College.

Earlier today, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of Jammu & Kashmir now believes that instead of the BJP continuing with the current status and potential conflict amongst students at this Medical College, the BJP should take action to move those students to Existing Medical Colleges. Omar believes that the BJP has been utilizing Religious Political agendas (Politics, Sport & Food) for personal gain.

"The pupils passed tests and secured seats on their hard work," stated Omar. They received no favors from any. Adjust them somewhere else if you do not want them there.

"I do not think pupils would want to study there in the current situation. We ask the Ministry of Health and the Government of India to place these kids in different colleges. I would not have sent these youngsters if I were their parent. He continued, "We would not want them to study in an area with a lot of politics." "Close the medical college and provide our kids another one" (Vaishno Devi). Such a medical college is unnecessary. Put these kids in reputable government medical schools," he said.

In a mocking tone, the Chief Minister commented on the BJP's senior leader and MLA Sham Lal Sharma asking if Jammu should be its own state, "Who has stopped the BJP from becoming their own state?" The Chief Minister went on to say that the BJP had already destroyed Ladakh by dividing it from J&K, and now there is nothing to stop them from creating Jammu as a separate state. He added, "This could have been done back in 2019 when the BJP was doing everything around both the abrogation of Article 370 and dividing J&K into 2 Union Territories.