The controversy surrounding admissions at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) continues to escalate, with political figures and parties weighing in on the issue. The heart of the matter lies in the fact that in the first MBBS batch, 42 out of 50 students admitted are Muslim, sparking protests from right-wing groups and sections of the opposition who argue that a medical college funded by a Hindu shrine board should prioritize Hindu candidates.
Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has firmly stated that admissions to the SMVDIME are based solely on merit, following National Medical Council (NMC) guidelines and the NEET merit list. He has dismissed demands for religion-based admissions, clarifying that the institute does not have minority status and cannot legally use faith as an admission criterion. Abdullah emphasized that the Act governing the parent university mandates a transparent, merit-driven admission process. He has also challenged critics to first obtain minority-institution status for the college if they wish to advocate for religion-based admissions. According to Abdullah, attempts to link education with religious identity could erode secular values and set a dangerous precedent for other publicly funded institutions.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been vocal in its criticism of the admissions process. The BJP has demanded a review of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University Act, 1999. The party argues that the college's funding and origins are rooted in Hindu religious tradition and that the admissions should reflect the sentiments of those who donate to the shrine. BJP leaders have accused Omar Abdullah of attempting to project the issue as a Hindu-Muslim conflict and of "playing to the galleries of a particular political constituency". They have also raised concerns that inadequate publicity of the admission process deprived many meritorious Hindu students of the opportunity to choose the college. Some BJP members have gone as far as demanding that only those who have faith in Mata Vaishno Devi should be admitted to the college.
The controversy has triggered a political storm, with parties attacking each other and the issue developing into a point of tension between Hindu-dominated Jammu and Muslim-majority Kashmir. Some have warned against politicizing the issue and called for responsible handling of the situation.
Amid the ongoing controversy, a high-level BJP delegation reportedly met with Union Health Minister JP Nadda in Delhi to discuss the matter. While details of the meeting remain sparse, it underscores the seriousness with which the BJP is treating the issue. Simultaneously, under the aegis of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, locals staged a protest rally in Katra demanding that the admission list to the SMVDIME be revoked immediately and reservation be provided to the Hindu candidates.
The situation remains tense, with both sides holding firm to their positions. Omar Abdullah insists on merit-based admissions and adherence to secular principles, while the BJP argues for consideration of the shrine's religious identity and the sentiments of its devotees. The future of admissions at the SMVDIME, and the broader implications for secularism and religious identity in Jammu and Kashmir, remain uncertain.
