DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has officially withdrawn its Letter of Permission (LoP) for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) to conduct an MBBS program for the academic year 2025-26. This decision, made late Tuesday, followed serious complaints regarding substantial deficiencies in infrastructure, faculty strength, and clinical material.

Initially granted permission to admit 50 students based on NEET merit last September, the situation at the institute changed following multiple complaints about its inadequate facilities. The NMC found glaring issues: a staggering 39% deficiency in teaching faculty and a 65% shortage of tutors and demonstrators. Even the outpatient department recorded less than 50% of the required patient visits, alongside a bed occupancy rate of just 45%.

"The assessment report submitted by our experts concluded that the alleged deficiencies were not only true but substantially jeopardized the quality of medical education," stated a Union Health Ministry official. As a consequence, the students enrolled will be relocated to other institutions as supernumerary seats.

However, college officials contested the NMC's findings, claiming that the surprise inspection occurred while a significant portion of their faculty was on leave. "We were notified of the inspection just 15 minutes prior, which made it challenging to present our full faculty," an official said, defending their infrastructure.

The controversy surrounding the college intensified when the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti, a well-known pro-rights organization, became involved. They alleged that the NMC's inspection was prompted by complaints concerning the high number of Muslim students enrolled from Kashmir, which has sparked significant protests. Colonel (Retired) Sukhvir Mankotia, the convenor of the Samiti, threatened to escalate their agitation if corrective actions were not taken.

This withdrawal of MBBS course approval has broader implications for medical education accessibility and raises questions about the governance and standardization of medical colleges in India. The ongoing dispute could determine both the educational futures of the students involved and the institute's operational stability moving forward.