SMVSS and allied groups will protest in Jammu, seeking minority-institution status for SMVD Medical College and cancellation of its NEET-based admission list.
The row erupted after 42 Muslim students earned most of the 50 MBBS seats; CM Omar Abdullah stressed merit must prevail over religion.
BJP and other groups have sought an inquiry and urged that admissions be restricted to Hindu students, despite JKBOPEE defending its merit-based process.
Hindu Groups to Protest Vaishno Devi Medical College Admissions Row
Right-wing outfits demand minority status for the college after Muslim students secure most MBBS seats.
Summary
The Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Sangharsh Samiti (SMVSS) group of organisations will hold a protest in Jammu on Saturday to demand that the government designate Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College as a minority institution and revoke the college's admissions list.
This comes after 42 Muslim students, one Sikh, and seven Hindu candidates passed the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) to be considered for the 50 MBBS seats that have been approved for the academic year 2025–2026.
On September 8 of this year, the National Medical Commission authorised the medical institute, which is situated on a 34-acre plot of property owned by the SMVD Shrine Board, to begin accepting applications for 50 MBBS seats for the 2025–2026 academic year.
Some right-wing Hindu groups questioned the process and demanded "minority institution" status for the newly established college.
NEET is held across the country for admissions to courses related to medicine. The exam is being conducted by the National Testing Agency, an autonomous body under the Department of Higher Education in the Education Ministry.
"The Samiti has drawn up a plan to intensify its movement regarding the issue of the college. The strategy was finalised during a meeting here, chaired by the Sangharsh Samiti convenor, Colonel Sukhbir Singh Mankotia. It was unanimously decided that on Saturday, the Committee and associated organisations will hold a massive protest at Raghunath Chowk in Jammu," the Samiti spokesperson said.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had been criticising the agitation and the protests, saying that merit should be the criterion for admissions rather than students' religious identity.
"Students were seeking medical education and had no objection to the institute's religious affiliation. Now, you want to deny admission based on religion," he had said, warning that excluding meritorious students could have wider social consequences.
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Abdullah went on to say that the college ought to have been given minority status when it was founded if the goal was to limit admittance to a specific group.
Numerous groups, including the BJP, VHP, Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, Samiti, and Dogra Front, have staged numerous demonstrations in Jammu and other locations in opposition to Muslim students being granted the bulk of MBBS seats at the medical college in the Reasi district. Claiming a plot against the organisation, they have called for an investigation.
Additionally, the BJP has sent a memo to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha of Jammu and Kashmir requesting that SMVDIME admissions be restricted to Hindu students and, if feasible, supervised by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
The Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examination (JKBOPEE) made the admissions decision for the Katra-based college.
Although classes have started at the institution, JKBOPEE Chairperson Minu Mahajan stated that the board is not authorised to transfer students to other medical schools.
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