Despite protests, studies unaffected at Vaishno Devi medical college

Even as the region witnesses protests over the allocation of a majority of MBBS seats to Muslim candidates at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), academic activities at the medical college are continuing without disruption. Admissions to three of the 50 seats, however, are still awaited.

Classes at the institute, located in Kakryal near Katra and run by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), began last month. The college is affiliated with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU).

The controversy erupted after several Hindu organisations held demonstrations opposing the allocation of 42 out of 50 MBBS seats to Muslim candidates. These groups argued that since the college has been established using donations from Hindu pilgrims globally, Hindu students should receive priority in admissions.

Executive Director of SMVDIME, Dr Yashpal Sharma, told The Tribune that the institute has been functioning normally since classes commenced. He said 47 students have so far taken admission, while the remaining three seats are expected to be filled through the Jammu & Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE).

According to BOPEE’s allocation list, the admitted batch includes 22 Muslim male students, 20 Muslim female students, three Hindu males, four Hindu females, and one Sikh male student.

An official communication states that the college will admit 50 students each in the first two years, with the intake increasing to 100 students per batch from the third year onward.

For the establishment of the institute, a 34-acre tract of unused SMVDU land was earmarked for the construction of the medical college and student hostels. An additional 11-acre adjoining parcel has been set aside for a proposed dental college.

Amid continuing protests, security measures in and around the campus have been strengthened, sources said.