BJP Demands Rollback Of 42 Muslim Students' Admission To J&K Medical College

The Jammu and Kashmir unit of BJP has strongly opposed the admission of Muslim students to Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College in Katra, demanding an immediate rollback.

The party has submitted a memorandum to the J&K Lieutenant Governor asking him to rescind the admission of Muslim students, who form the bulk of the first batch of the medical college.

Before the BJP protested the admission of 42 Muslim students, right-wing groups had already raised the matter. Even though the college followed National Medical Council guidelines on admissions as per the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) list, Hindu groups say only Hindus should get admission to the college.

"It's not acceptable to the people of the country that students from a particular community should get admission to the college. We have conveyed our sentiments and the anguish of the people to the Lt Governor. BJP is on the same page that only those students should be given admission to the medical college who have faith in Mata Vaishno Devi," said Sunil Sharma, Leader of Opposition in the J&K Assembly.

A BJP delegation led by Sharma met Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday evening. Sharma said Sinha assured them of necessary action to rescind the admission of students from a "particular community".

Sinha is also the chairman of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

Official sources say Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence is not classified as a minority institution and therefore, the admission process was done as per guidelines.

In Jammu and Kashmir, there are 13 medical colleges, and Vaishno Devi Medical College inducted its first batch this year. While the admissions were based on the NEET merit list with 85 per cent seats reserved for domiciles, only 8 Hindu students from Jammu have taken admission in the 50-person batch.

J&K Peoples' Conference leader Sajjad Lone blamed the BJP for communalising medical science and insisted that medical science needs researchers, not religious zealots. "The BJP is now experimenting with the concept of communalising medical sciences. I just hope they understand that there is a proper admission test called NEET. And that is an All India test. And that the finest brains in the country sit that exams and those who get selected, work hard to become a doctor. And then these doctors serve people, treat them, perform surgeries," he wrote in a post on X.

This new issue of students admitted to Medical school of the Vaishno Devi University. This is too much of stretch. The BJP is now experimenting with concept of communalising medical sciences. I just hope they understand that there is a proper admission test called NEET. And that…

— Sajad Lone (@sajadlone) November 23, 2025