In a significant regulatory action, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has revoked the permission granted to a prominent medical institute in Jammu and Kashmir to run its MBBS program. The decision follows a surprise inspection that uncovered serious lapses in meeting the mandatory standards set for medical education.
Immediate Cancellation of Permission
The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the NMC has officially withdrawn the Letter of Permission (LoP) given to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence. This permission was for conducting an MBBS course with 50 seats for the upcoming 2025-26 academic year. The order, dated January 6, has taken immediate effect.
Officials stated that the action was a direct result of an unannounced inspection. The inspection team found the institute to be non-compliant with key minimum standards, particularly concerning required infrastructure and adequate faculty strength. The NMC had received multiple complaints, which prompted the scrutiny.
Student Relocation and Broader Scrutiny
To protect the interests of students who have already been admitted for the 2025-26 batch, authorities have been instructed to relocate them. As per standard norms, these students will be accommodated as supernumerary seats in other medical colleges within Jammu and Kashmir.
This is not the first time the institute has faced regulatory hurdles. Earlier, the NMC had turned down the college's request to place all 50 MBBS seats under the All-India Quota via the Medical Counselling Committee. The commission clarified that the seat-sharing policy could not be modified for a single institution.
Background and Controversies
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence is located near the famous shrine in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir. It was originally sanctioned 50 MBBS seats on September 8, 2025, and began its operations in November from the administrative block of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University.
The institute has also been at the center of social controversies. Its first batch of 50 students saw protests from some Hindu organisations over the selection of 43 students from a particular community. Allegations were raised that the institute, largely funded by devotees of one faith, was showing bias. College officials, however, maintained that all admitted students were legitimate residents of Jammu and Kashmir.
With the withdrawal of the crucial Letter of Permission, the immediate future of the institute's pioneering MBBS batch now depends entirely on the swift and smooth transfer of students to other recognized medical colleges in the region.
