Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) in Jammu has put in a fresh application at the National Medical Commission (NMC) seeking permission to restart its MBBS course for the 2026-27 academic year, months after the regulator withdrew its approval citing serious deficiencies.
"We have submitted an online application to the commission seeking a Letter of Permission for 50 MBBS seats after completing the required formalities, including the payment of around Rs 8 lakh towards NMC inspection and processing fees," official sources told NDTV.
"The discrepancies and deficiencies earlier flagged by the commission have been reviewed by the college. After addressing those issues, we have approached the commission again for permission to run the MBBS programme," sources said.
The development comes after the NMC earlier revoked recognition for the institute's MBBS course, citing lapses in minimum standards related to infrastructure, faculty strength and the availability of clinical material. The institute had asked students to vacate the campus on January 7, hours after the NMC withdrew its Letter of Permission.
Following the decision, all 50 students from the college's first-ever MBBS batch were relocated to other recognised government medical colleges in the Union Territory. The students were shifted to seven newly established medical colleges, three in the Kashmir Valley, which took in 22 students, and four in the Jammu region where the remaining students were accommodated.
Officials say the institute has since worked to strengthen its facilities ahead of a likely NMC inspection scheduled around April-May. The college currently has one main academic building ready for classes and plans to expand further.
As part of the expansion, the management of the Narayana Superspecialty Hospital at Kakryal near Katra is expected to be integrated with the institute. Sources said the process to take over the hospital's management has begun, and all staff, including doctors, are likely to come under the institute from April 1, significantly boosting the availability of clinical material and teaching staff.
The hospital itself was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2016 and currently provides treatment across more than 20 medical specialities.
The institute's first MBBS admission cycle had earlier triggered a major political controversy in Jammu. Of the 50 students admitted for the 2025-26 academic session, 42 were Muslims and one was a Sikh, a composition that sparked protests from several right-wing groups and local organisations.
The protests were led by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, an umbrella body of nearly 60 organisations, many aligned with pro-RSS and pro-BJP groups. The Samiti argued that the college, run by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, was established using offerings made by Hindu pilgrims and therefore should primarily cater to Hindu students.
Initially, the groups demanded the cancellation of the merit list, but when that proved legally untenable, the focus shifted to calling for the closure of the college altogether.
Officials, however, maintained that the admission process followed national guidelines based on the NEET merit list. They said the institute is not classified as a minority institution and therefore cannot reserve seats on religious grounds.
Even so, the controversy intensified over recent months, with local trade bodies and political groups joining the protests and demanding a rollback of the admission list.
Amid the escalating tensions, Omar Abdullah had earlier expressed concern about the safety of students on campus and urged the Centre to shut down the institution and relocate students elsewhere.
"We don't need this college; it's not worth being a medical college. Shut down this institution, and we will arrange education for these students in other colleges," he had said.
Jammu and Kashmir currently has 13 medical colleges, and SMVDIME had launched its first MBBS batch only this year. Admissions were conducted through the NEET merit list with 85 per cent seats reserved for domicile candidates.
According to officials, despite the domicile quota, only eight Hindu students from Jammu were admitted in the first batch, a factor that further fuelled the controversy surrounding the institute.
With the fresh application now submitted to the NMC, the institute hopes to secure permission again and restart the MBBS course from the next academic year. Officials said additional infrastructure and faculty are also being planned in the coming months, with the long-term goal of expanding the intake capacity to 100 MBBS seats.
