Did saffron outrage lead to cancellation of MBBS course at Vaishno Devi medical college? – Alt News

It is also important to note that Kashmir has a significantly higher Muslim population demographically. As a result, a larger proportion of students appearing for NEET from the region could be Muslim. Therefore, the fact that most selected candidates happened to be Muslim may also reflects the region’s population composition, not any form of religious bias or selective admission.

Readers should note that as far as reservation of seats for Hindus is concerned, it would require SMVDIME to be a minority institution, which it wasn’t. Minority institutions are recognised under Article 30(1) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees minorities (defined by religion or language) the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.

We spoke to a constitutional expert who explained that since Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) was a Muslim-majority state, a religious minority like the Hindus had the right to establish minority religious educational institutions. This allows them to claim reservations for the Hindu minority. However, under the present circumstances, law permits all students to compete for seats, and they did so. “Therefore, it is neither legally nor morally acceptable to argue that Muslim students from this college should be removed from their seats in favour of Hindu students,” he stated.

It is also worth noting that the Supreme Court clarified in the landmark case of St. Xavier’s College v. State of Gujarat (1974) that minority institutions had the constitutional right to admit students from their own community and to give them preference during admissions. However, this preferential admission must still be conducted through a fair and transparent process to ensure equity and legality.

‘NMC Upheld Sentiment of Sanatanis’

After what was approximately a two-month-long demonstration by various pro-Right factions, a January 2 inspection led to the NMC’s withdrawal of its permission to SMVDIME for the MBBS course. On the day of the inspection, the college authorities were reportedly given a 15-minute notice and the team “appeared to have made up its mind” even before it reached the institute, faculty members told The Indian Express.

They also felt that the demonstrations by the Sangarsh Samiti influenced the NMC decision.

BJP leader Sat Sharma said in a video interview that the NMC was an independent body and did not “adhere to political leanings”. “They received complaints, maybe regarding the lack of infrastructure or proper rooms or doctors, in-patients and out-patients, or maybe the lack of patients in the ICU,” he said. He thanked J P Nadda for his intervention in the matter and for ensuring the safe future of the students in the MBBS course.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has welcomed the decision to cancel the recognition of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College. Speaking to Gulistan News, BJP leader Sat Sharma said an NMC team found serious deficiencies during a surprise inspection. He noted that… pic.twitter.com/E91QmBvJKo

— Gulistan News (@GulistanNewsTV) January 7, 2026

Jammu and Kashmir LoP Sunil Sharma also thanked Nadda and the Union health ministry for their involvement in the matter. He welcomed the NMC’s decision, saying that several irregularities had been found after the inspection. He reiterated that the students would be readmitted to other medical colleges in the area. He further said, “The NMC has upheld the sentiments of the Hindus and Sanatanis, and the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti as well, whose feelings had earlier been hurt by this.”

A heavily garlanded Rakesh Bajrangi seemed overwhelmed as he proclaimed that the decision was a huge victory for the Hindu community. “On November 5, 2025, we first held a protest here, and all of you helped carry our voice to the government and to the people… We protested this allocation (of majority Muslim students), and the entire community was awakened. On the 22nd, a joint committee was formed, and people took to the streets…” he said as he was lifted into the air by his compatriots.

Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir: President Bajrang Dal, Rakesh Bajrangi says, “Look, this is a victory for the entire Hindu community, a victory for all of you. On November 5, 2025, we first held a protest here, and all of you helped carry our voice to the government and to the people.… pic.twitter.com/BHy4NO7OPX

— IANS (@ians_india) January 7, 2026

Faculty, Students Challenge NMC ‘Findings’

The NMC made several claims to justify its decision, including a 39% deficiency in teaching faculty; a 65% shortage of tutors, demonstrators, and senior residents; the outpatient department recording fewer than 50% patients; bed occupancy of 45% and ICU bed occupancy of 50%. It further claimed that practical laboratories and research labs were not available in some departments, lecture theatres did not meet minimum standard requirements, and library resources were far below norms, with only 50 per cent of books available against the required number and just two journals against a requirement of 15.

Students, however, had a different tale to tell. The Indian Express quoted a student as saying that they did not want to leave the college even if they got a better college. “The facilities, infrastructure and care we got here won’t be available even in J&K’s top medical colleges,” they said. Another student recalled how she fell ill, missed her practical classes, and the faculty ensured she got another chance to learn.

Faculty members of the college claimed that the demonstrators changed their track after realising that their demands required precedence. So the activists, who at first wanted the Muslim students out, later demanded that the college be closed down altogether.