NMC withdraws recognition of SMVD Medical College; MBBS students to be shifted

Reasi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has withdrawn its permission to run the MBBS course at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College (SMVDMC), Kakryal, after detecting serious violations of prescribed minimum standards during a recent inspection.

Official sources said the decision followed an inspection conducted by an NMC team two days ago to assess compliance with regulatory norms, including faculty strength, infrastructure, availability of clinical material and academic facilities. The commission termed the lapses a direct violation of the 2023 regulations.

With immediate effect, the approval granted for 50 MBBS seats for the 2025–26 academic session has been cancelled, and the college’s bank guarantee will be forfeited, sources said.

Current MBBS students enrolled at the institution will be shifted to other recognised government medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir. Officials said all students’ seats would remain protected and they would be accommodated under supernumerary seats to ensure that their academic progress is not disrupted.

The move comes amid sustained protests by the Sangharsh Samiti, which has been agitating over the future of the institution. Notably, a day before the NMC order, one of the group’s leaders had publicly claimed during a protest that the decision would be in their favour and asserted that they would soon be meeting Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

According to officials familiar with the process, the relocation of students will be carried out strictly in accordance with NMC guidelines. The administration is expected to issue a detailed plan outlining the timeline and modalities of the transfer.

Further directions from the NMC and the Jammu and Kashmir administration are awaited.