In a move widely perceived as a response to protests by right-wing Hindu groups, India has shut down the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical Institute (SMVDMI) in Indian-administered Kashmir after Muslim students made up the majority of its inaugural medical batch. The National Medical Commission (NMC), the federal authority overseeing medical education in India, revoked the college’s recognition on January 6, citing alleged deficiencies in faculty, hospital infrastructure, and teaching resources. Legislators from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) petitioned the region’s lieutenant governor to reserve seats exclusively for Hindu students. Omar Abdullah, chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir, pledged to reassign SMVDMI students to other medical colleges in the region, ensuring their education continues. “I appeared for one of the hardest exams in India and earned my place at a medical college.

Source: The Patriot January 15, 2026 16:31 UTC