BJP Demands Reversal of Muslim Students' Admission to Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College in Jammu & Kashmir

The BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit has vigorously opposed the admission of Muslim students to Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College in Katra, calling for an immediate reversal of these admissions.

Party representatives have delivered a formal memorandum to the J&K Lieutenant Governor requesting the cancellation of admissions for the 42 Muslim students who constitute the majority of the medical college's inaugural batch.

Right-wing organizations had already raised concerns about these admissions before the BJP's protest. Despite the college following National Medical Council guidelines for admissions based on the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) rankings, Hindu groups maintain that only Hindu students should be granted admission to this institution.

Sunil Sharma, Leader of Opposition in the J&K Assembly, stated: "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."

A BJP delegation headed by Sharma met with Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday evening. Sharma reported that Sinha promised to take necessary steps to cancel the admission of students from a "particular community".

Sinha also serves as chairman of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

According to official sources, the Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence is not designated as a minority institution, and therefore conducted its admission process in accordance with established guidelines.

Jammu and Kashmir has 13 medical colleges, with Vaishno Devi Medical College welcoming its first cohort this year. While admissions were determined by the NEET merit list with 85 percent of seats reserved for local residents, only 8 Hindu students from Jammu have enrolled in the 50-student batch.

Sajjad Lone, leader of the J&K Peoples' Conference, criticized the BJP for introducing communal elements into medical education and emphasized that medical science requires 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 on social media platform 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