The National Medical Commission (NMC) has abruptly withdrawn the Letter of Permission (LoP) granted to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) in Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir, effectively halting its MBBS course with 50 seats for the 2025–26 academic session, following a surprise inspection that uncovered gross deficiencies in faculty strength, clinical material, infrastructure, and overall compliance with minimum standards.

The decision, announced on January 6, 2026, comes in the wake of a heated controversy over the inaugural batch admissions, where approximately 42 to 46 out of 50 students selected through NEET merit were Muslim candidates, mostly from Kashmir, alongside a few Hindus and one Sikh, sparking widespread protests from Hindu organisations and political groups alleging misuse of shrine donations primarily from Hindu devotees.

Protesters, led by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti—a coalition of around 60 organisations—initially demanded cancellation of non-Hindu admissions and later called for the college's complete closure, arguing that an institution funded largely by offerings at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine should prioritise students with faith in the deity, while the BJP supported these demands and submitted memorandums seeking intervention.

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Chief Minister Omar Abdullah defended the merit-based selections, criticising attempts to introduce religion into admissions, and suggested shutting down the college due to the politicised atmosphere, proposing that all admitted students be shifted elsewhere to avoid further issues, even as his National Conference highlighted government grants provided to the associated university.

In response to the NMC's revocation, the Bharatiya Janata Party welcomed the move as prioritising quality education, with MLA R S Pathania stating it reaffirms commitment to standards, while assuring that all 50 affected students will be accommodated as supernumerary seats in other government medical colleges across the Union Territory without losing their academic year.

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