Vaishno Devi Medical Institute Seeks Fresh Approval from NMC to Start MBBS Programme for 2026–27 Session

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence has once again approached the National Medical Commission, requesting permission to introduce an undergraduate medical programme (MBBS) for the academic session 2026–27.

Officials associated with the institute confirmed that a new application has been submitted after completing all required procedures laid down by the regulatory body.

As part of the formal process, the institution has also deposited nearly ₹10 lakh towards inspection charges and other administrative requirements linked to the evaluation by the NMC.

Earlier this year, on January 7, the administration of the medical institute had asked the MBBS students enrolled in its inaugural batch to vacate the campus and return to their homes shortly after the NMC revoked its authorisation to conduct the MBBS programme.

The decision by the medical regulator had come at a time when protests were being organised by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti, a coalition of nearly 60 organisations reportedly aligned with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The group had expressed strong opposition to the admission of Muslim students at the institution. Out of the 50 students admitted in the college’s first-ever MBBS batch, 44 belonged to the Muslim community.

Members of the Sangarsh Samiti had demanded that students from Kashmir be transferred to other medical colleges within the Union Territory.

According to the group, the medical institution was established using donations and offerings made by Hindu devotees visiting the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine.

Following the directive asking students to leave the campus, several students alleged that the cancellation of permission by the NMC might have been influenced by the ongoing protests.

However, while withdrawing the Letter of Permission granted earlier, the NMC stated that the institute suffered from serious shortcomings related to infrastructure facilities, availability of faculty members and insufficient clinical material required for medical training.

Officials connected with the institute had earlier disputed claims about infrastructure deficiencies.

They now say that the institute will be in an even stronger position when the NMC inspection team visits the campus, likely during April or May.

This confidence stems from the integration of Narayana Superspeciality Hospital with the medical institute. Sources indicated that the process of transferring management of the hospital to the institute has already begun.

Once completed, the entire hospital workforce, including doctors and healthcare professionals, will begin reporting to the institute from April 1.

The hospital, located in Kakryal close to Katra, was inaugurated by Narendra Modi on April 19, 2016. It provides medical treatment across more than twenty specialised disciplines and serves patients from across the region.

Officials believe that the addition of the superspeciality hospital will significantly strengthen the institute’s teaching resources and clinical exposure for students.

They also said that the number of faculty members and medical professionals associated with the institute will increase substantially.

In addition to this expansion, authorities plan to further enhance the institute’s infrastructure in the coming months to meet the standards required by the medical regulator.

Meanwhile, the 50 students who were part of the discontinued MBBS batch have already been relocated to newly established government medical colleges within the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Of these, 22 students were accommodated in three government medical colleges located in the Kashmir Valley, while the remaining students were admitted to four government medical colleges situated in the Jammu region.

The institute now hopes that the improvements in infrastructure, faculty strength and clinical facilities will enable it to secure fresh approval from the NMC and restart its MBBS programme from the 2026–27 academic year.

#MedicalEducation #NMC #MBBSAdmissions #VaishnoDeviInstitute #JammuAndKashmir #HealthcareEducation #IndiaMedicalColleges #HigherEducation