Jammu, November 28, 2025 — Several Hindu organizations have announced a protest in Jammu on Saturday over the admission process at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College, demanding that the institution be declared a minority college and calling for the cancellation of its current admission list. The demonstration has been organized by the Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Sangharsh Samiti (SMVSS), a coalition of multiple right-wing groups active in the region.

The controversy stems from the 2025–26 MBBS admissions at the college, which has a sanctioned intake of 50 students. According to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) results, 42 of the admitted students are from the Muslim community, while one Sikh and seven Hindu candidates secured admission. This distribution has triggered objections from the SMVSS and allied organizations, which argue that the college, built on a 34-acre land parcel owned by the SMVD Shrine Board, should prioritize Hindu students or be given minority institution status.

The medical college received approval from the National Medical Commission (NMC) on September 8, 2025, to begin admissions for the MBBS program. NEET, conducted nationwide by the National Testing Agency (NTA), serves as the standard entrance examination for medical courses in India. The Samiti contends that the college should have been classified as a minority institution at the time of establishment to protect community interests, rather than admitting students predominantly from other religious communities.

Colonel Sukhbir Singh Mankotia, convenor of the SMVSS, chaired a meeting to finalize the protest strategy. A spokesperson for the Samiti said, “The Committee and associated organizations will hold a massive demonstration at Raghunath Chowk on Saturday to intensify the movement regarding this issue.” The protest aims to pressure authorities into reviewing the admissions process and reclassifying the college as a minority institution.

The agitation has drawn criticism from Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who emphasized that merit should remain the primary criterion for admission. “Students were seeking medical education and had no objection to the institute’s religious affiliation. Now, you want to deny admission on the basis of religion,” Abdullah said. He warned that excluding meritorious students could have broader social consequences and pointed out that if the intention was to limit seats to a particular community, minority status should have been granted at the time of the college’s establishment.

Dozens of protests have already been organized by groups including BJP, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, Dogra Front, and the SMVSS in Jammu and surrounding areas. These groups have alleged a conspiracy against the institution and demanded a formal probe into the admissions. In addition, the BJP submitted a memorandum to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, urging that admissions at SMVD Institute of Medical Education (SMVDIME) be restricted to Hindu students and, if possible, overseen directly by the National Medical Commission.

The Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examination (JKBOPEE) conducted the admissions, and while the session has already commenced, Minu Mahajan, Chairperson of JKBOPEE, clarified that the board does not have the authority to transfer students to other medical colleges. This position underscores the legal and procedural limitations in addressing the community-based demands of the protesters.

The college, located in Katra in Reasi district, has been a focal point for tensions between right-wing groups advocating for preferential treatment for Hindu students and authorities emphasizing merit-based admissions. The protest planned for Saturday is expected to draw a large turnout from multiple organizations, signaling that the issue is likely to remain in the spotlight as local authorities navigate the competing demands of community sentiment and regulatory compliance.