Admitted students to be adjusted in GMCs across J&K
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Jan 6: In a major development, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has withdrawn the Letter of Permission (LoP) granted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence for starting MBBS course with an intake of 50 seats for the academic session 2025-26.
Official sources told the Excelsior that a formal order in this regard was issued late this evening by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the NMC , acting on the basis of a recent surprise inspection, which revealed serious deficiencies in faculty strength, clinical material and infrastructure at the proposed medical college.
Consequent upon withdrawal of the LoP, sources said that the students already admitted to the institute will be adjusted in various Government Medical Colleges across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
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The Commission has directed that the students admitted by SMVDIME for the academic year 2025-26 during counselling shall be accommodated as supernumerary seats in other Government Medical Colleges within the Union Territory by the competent authority, sources explained.
The withdrawal of LoP is likely to end the ongoing agitation by SMVD Sangharsh Samiti-a conglomerate of various social organizations, which has been protesting against admission of non-Hindu students in the Medical College being run by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
The institute had been granted LoP on September 8, 2025. The Letter of Permission (LoP) is an official approval issued by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the NMC. It allows a proposed or existing Medical College to start admitting students for the MBBS course (or increase seats) in a specific academic year.
However, admission of ninety percent non-Hindu students in the very first batch of MBBS course at SMVDIME raised many eyebrows in Jammu and various organizations joined hands under the banner of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti to protest against the same alleging misuse of donations by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
Meanwhile, the National Medical Commission received multiple complaints alleging inadequate infrastructure, shortage of qualified teaching faculty and resident doctors, insufficient patient load, and poor bed occupancy at the SMVD Institute of Medical Excellence.
Acting on these complaints, MARB conducted a surprise inspection of the college on January 2, 2026. The assessment report pointed out glaring shortcomings, including a 39 per cent deficiency in teaching faculty and a 65 per cent shortage of tutors, demonstrators and senior residents. The outpatient department recorded less than 50 percent patients against the minimum required number while bed occupancy was found to be just 45 per cent against the mandated 80 per cent. Intensive Care Units also showed an average bed occupancy of around 50 per cent .
The report further highlighted gross inadequacies in infrastructure, noting that student 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 percent books available against the required number and just two journals against a requirement of 15. Essential facilities such as an ART centre, MDR-TB management facility, adequate operation theatres and separate male and female wards were also found missing or inadequate.
After considering these deficiencies, the NMC concluded that the institution failed to comply with the Minimum Standard Requirements under the Undergraduate Medical Education regulations and consequently, MARB, with the approval of the Chairman, NMC, ordered immediate withdrawal of the LoP.
The NMC has also decided to invoke the performance bank guarantee furnished by the institution as per the terms of the LoP, source added.
The order has been communicated to the J&K Health Department, Director of Medical Education, SMVD University authorities and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for necessary action and compliance .
Meanwhile, consequent upon the latest development, sources said the SMVD Sangharsh Samiti has called an emergency meeting of its Core Group to decide its further course of action.
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