‘We’re mentally distressed, govt must act before academic year is lost’
Srinagar Jan 21 (KNO): Two weeks after the National Medical Commission (NMC) scrapped the MBBS course at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), uncertainty continues to haunt the 50 affected students, who allege that no concrete action has been taken on the ground so far despite repeated assurances from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
The NMC’s Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) on January 6, 2026, withdrew the Letter of Permission (LoP) granted to the college for the 2025–26 academic year, citing “gross and substantial deficiencies” and non-compliance with minimum standards. These included inadequate infrastructure, lack of essential equipment, insufficient faculty, and non-functional operation theatres.
The decision came months after the institute had received a conditional approval in September 2025.
While the withdrawal directly impacted the inaugural batch of 50 MBBS students, the uncertainty surrounding their future has now become a major cause of distress.
“Our college was scrapped all of a sudden, and along with it our mental health, our hard-earned MBBS seat, and our dreams were played with,” Umdat, one of the affected students, told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). “We worked for years to secure a medical seat. From building our foundation to become doctors, we are now left sitting idle, questioning where it went wrong—when it was never our mistake.”
Students said that immediately after the NMC decision, CM 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 so far.
“The government assured us time and again that we would be shifted, but till today there is not a single official notice,” said Rakshan, another student. “It feels like after shutting down the college, everyone forgot about our existence. Was closing the college the only concern, while our lives were pushed into darkness?”
Another student, Ubair, said, “We are a batch of just 50 students, but the uncertainty could lead many of us to chronic depression. We have left the campus, classes are suspended, and we don’t know where or when we will resume our studies. Even our parents and families are very much depressed.”
Soon after the NMC announcement, classes at the institute were suspended, and students began vacating the campus, further adding to the sense of abandonment.
The affected students have now urged the government, especially CM Abdullah and Health Minister Sakeena Itoo, to act immediately, issue formal transfer orders, and ensure a smooth and time-bound adjustment process so that their academic year and mental well-being are not irreversibly damaged.
“The authorities must remember that behind the files and inspections are real students whose futures depend on swift and humane decision-making,” they said. (KNO)
