Muslim students secure 42 of 50 MBBS seats on merit; BJP leaders raise objections with LG Sinha

SMVDIME says not a minority institution and cannot offer religion-based quotas

Jammu: BJP legislators have met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to oppose the recent admission list at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), where 42 of the 50 MBBS seats for the 2025–26 academic year were secured by Muslim students. The meeting came days after right-wing organisations held protests in Reasi over the issue.

During the interaction, BJP leaders submitted a memorandum urging the administration to revise admission rules and take what they described as “corrective measures.” BJP MLA R S Pathania later wrote on X that institutions funded by the offerings of Vaishno Devi devotees must reflect the shrine’s spiritual character. He also demanded amendments to the Shrine Board Act and the University Act.

The controversy erupted earlier this week when SMVDIME—funded by the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board—issued its maiden MBBS selection list. Several Hindu groups argued that an institution created through pilgrimage donations should prioritise Hindu students and even suggested granting the college minority status to allow religion-based reservations.

Members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and local social organisations staged demonstrations on Friday, calling the admission distribution an “imbalance” and pressing the government to intervene.

Officials, however, clarified that the admissions were based strictly on merit and that the institute is not a minority institution, making religion-based quotas legally impermissible, as per a report by India Today