Delhi caves in to Hindu extremist pressure, withdraws permission to SMVDIME
Kashmiri Muslim students fear denial of open-merit opportunities
Jammu: India’s statutory body, National Medical Commission (NMC), has withdrawn the permission granted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Kakryal, Reasi,in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, raising serious concerns that the move comes in the backdrop of sustained pressure from Hindu extremist organizations opposed to open-merit admissions in which Muslim students constituted the overwhelming majority.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the NMC cancelled the Letter of Permission for running the MBBS course with 50 seats for the academic year 2025-26, citing “serious deficiencies” in infrastructure, faculty, and clinical material.
Kashmiri education analysts pointed out that Hindu extremist groups had openly campaigned against open-merit admissions in the college after a large number of Muslim candidates secured seats on merit. They said the timing of the decision has raised apprehensions that New Delhi has once again caved in to communal pressure, instead of protecting merit-based opportunities for Kashmiri students.
Students and parents expressed fear that the withdrawal of permission would disproportionately impact Kashmiri Muslim students who had secured admission purely on merit. They said India is employing a range of tactics — from coercive laws to educational manipulation — to marginalize Kashmiri youth and restrict their access to higher professional education.
Human rights defenders stressed that education in IIOJK has increasingly become a political tool, where academic institutions, recruitment processes and scholarship schemes are being reshaped to disadvantage local Kashmiri Muslims. They said such decisions further deepen alienation and destroy the future of Kashmiri youth already living under military occupation.
The NMC claimed the decision followed a surprise inspection and detection of deficiencies in faculty strength. The claim was, however, rejected by Kashmiri observers said that the larger issue is India’s policy of weaponizing education under its illegal occupation, where extremist groups dictate outcomes and merit is sacrificed to serve communal and political objectives.
