Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 5: The Yuva Rajput Sabha today staged day-long peaceful hunger strike to protest the alleged systematic denial of MBBS seats to meritorious local students at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME).
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The protest dharnas were staged at 19 district headquarters across the region and the main sit-in was held near the statue of Maharaja Hari Singh adjoining Tawi Bridge, a location described by organisers as symbolic of Dogra identity and contribution.
YRS alleged that SMVDIME was established through public contributions, including land, donations, endowments, and temple trust resources primarily provided by the Jammu and Hindu community. Despite this, the organisation claimed that over 70 per cent of MBBS seats in recent admission cycles have gone to students from outside Jammu, leaving many qualified Dogra Hindu candidates without admission. YRS said that this trend contradicts the founding purpose of an institution named after Mata Vaishno Devi.
Addressing the protest, Mandeep Singh Rimpy, President of YRS, demanded that MBBS seats be reserved for students from the Jammu division, in line with population and regional contribution. He stated that local students should not be compelled to migrate to other States such as Punjab or Delhi to pursue medical education when a medical institution exists in their own region.
Former YRS State President Vikram Singh Vicky said that Jammu continues to lose many bright students every year due to limited access to medical seats, warning that continued neglect could turn the region into a “talent desert.”
Senior YRS leader Rajan Singh “Happy” criticised political leadership for failing to ensure equitable access to medical education, stating that calls for unity remain hollow when Dogra Hindu students are denied fair opportunities.
The protest received support from various organisations from across Jammu. YRS announced that if no written assurance is received from the authorities within days, it will escalate the agitation by organising a massive protests in Jammu and Kashmir, and submitting a `nationwide petition’ seeking a Parliamentary inquiry into alleged admission irregularities at SMVDIME.
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