CM says issue resolved
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Jan 22: Within hours after ruling out fresh counselling for supernumerary seats, Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (JKBOPEE) has set January 24 as the fresh date for counselling of the 50 students affected by the de-recognition of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, to adjust them in seven Government-run colleges across the Union Territory.
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According to a notification issued by the Controller of Examinations of the BOPEE, Prof Gurvinder Raj Verma, the 50 supernumerary seats shall be distributed strictly based on the NEET-UG merit of the candidates concerned and their preferences among the seven newly established Government Medical Colleges.
Eight students would be allotted seats in GMC Anantnag and seven each in GMC Baramulla, Doda, Handwara, Kathua, Rajouri and Udhampur.
“Pursuant to Health and Medical Education Department communication of January 21, it is hereby notified that the concerned candidates who were provisionally allotted seats in different rounds of counselling by the Board for admission to the MBBS course in SMVDIME, Katra… the Board shall conduct the physical round of counselling to accommodate the students to the GMC within J-K against the supernumerary seats so created,” reads the notification.
The Board has scheduled the counselling for January 24 at its offices in the twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the Government has resolved the college allocation issue for the selected MBBS candidates of the Medical College. “With BOPEE now issuing the counselling schedule, the selected candidates can move ahead with their studies,” the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said on X.
As already reported by the Excelsior in today’s edition, JKBOPE had yesterday informed the Health and Medical Education Department, Union Territory of J&K, that it was not empowered to conduct fresh counselling or allocate supernumerary MBBS seats for the academic session 2025-26. The Board observed that it is bound by the counselling schedule issued by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, and cannot go beyond the prescribed timeline for the current academic session. The Board also made it clear that the creation and allotment of supernumerary seats does not fall within the jurisdiction of JKBOPEE and decision in this regard has to be made at the Government level in consultation with the NMC.
Supernumerary seats are extra, additional seats created in educational programs beyond the normal intake, often to ensure representation for specific groups.
When contacted, Chairperson of BOPEE, Dr Minu Mahajan clarified that the Board was not authorized for allotment of seats to the Medical Colleges, but allotment of seats to the students.
“Immediately after our earlier communication, Government allotted supernumerary seats to the seven Medical Colleges following which the Board issued notification for counselling,’ she explained and added that all the eligible students have also been informed individually about the counselling schedule.
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