Srinagar- Uncertainty continues to cloud the future of 50 MBBS students at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), two weeks after the National Medical Commission scrapped the course, with no formal transfer orders issued so far despite repeated assurances from the government.
On January 6, 2026, the Medical Assessment and Rating Board of the National Medical Commission withdrew the Letter of Permission granted to SMVDIME for the 2025–26 academic session, citing gross and substantial deficiencies and failure to meet minimum standards. The deficiencies included inadequate infrastructure, shortage of faculty, lack of essential equipment and non-functional operation theatres.
The decision came months after the institute was granted conditional approval in September 2025, allowing it to admit its first batch of 50 MBBS students.
Since the withdrawal, classes at the institute have been suspended and students have vacated the campus, leaving them stranded without clarity on when or where their studies will resume.
“Our college was scrapped all of a sudden and along with it our mental health and our future were shattered,” Umdat, one of the affected students said. “We worked for years to secure an MBBS seat. Today we are sitting idle, questioning what went wrong when it was never our mistake.”
Students said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured them that they would be adjusted in other government medical colleges in the Union Territory. However, they allege that no official notification or transfer order has been issued till date.
“The government assured us time and again that we would be shifted, but there is not a single official notice so far,” said Rakshan, another student. “It feels like after shutting down the college, everyone forgot about our existence.”
Another student, Ubair, said the prolonged uncertainty has taken a serious toll on students and their families. “We are a batch of just 50 students, but this situation can push many into depression. We do not know where or when our classes will restart, and even our parents are deeply distressed,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examinations has informed the Health and Medical Education Department that it has no authority to conduct fresh counselling or allocate supernumerary MBBS seats for the 2025–26 academic session.
In a communication to the department, Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examinations clarified that the creation and allotment of supernumerary seats does not fall within its jurisdiction. It stated that any such decision must be taken at the government level in consultation with the National Medical Commission and the concerned medical colleges in the Union Territory.
The Board has forwarded a rank-wise list of NEET-UG qualified candidates admitted to SMVDIME after counselling for further necessary action, sources said.
The development has further complicated the situation, effectively leaving the students caught between administrative assurances and procedural limitations.
The affected students have urged the government, particularly the Chief Minister and Health Minister Sakeena Itoo, to intervene urgently, issue formal transfer orders and ensure a time-bound adjustment process so that their academic year and mental well-being are not irreversibly affected.
“Authorities must remember that behind inspection reports and official files are real students whose futures depend on timely and humane decisions,” the students said.
