The National Medical Commission (NMC) has withdrawn the recognition of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) in Jammu and Kashmir following the discovery of serious regulatory lapses.
The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the NMC has revoked the Letter of Permission (LoP) granted to the medical college at Reasi district to conduct the MBBS programme with an intake of 50 seats for the academic year 2025–26.
In addition to cancelling the permission, the NMC has directed that students who have already been admitted to the institute be relocated to other recognised medical colleges within the state.
According to the official order, the decision was taken after a surprise inspection of the institute, which reportedly revealed major violations of the minimum standards prescribed for medical colleges.
Complaints and Surprise Inspection
Following the issuance of the Letter of Permission (LoP), the National Medical Commission (NMC) received several complaints pointing to serious deficiencies at the college. These included inadequate infrastructure, insufficient clinical material, a shortage of qualified full-time teaching faculty and resident doctors, and low inpatient and outpatient footfall, PTI reported.
Invoking its powers under Section 28(7) of the NMC Act, 2019—which allows for inspections without prior notice—the regulator ordered a surprise assessment. A team of assessors visited the institute on January 2, 2026. The findings from this inspection subsequently formed the basis of the adverse regulatory action.
What the Inspection Found
The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) assessment report highlighted widespread shortcomings across key areas. Faculty strength was found to be well below prescribed norms, with a 39 per cent shortfall in teaching staff and a 65 per cent deficiency in tutors, demonstrators and senior residents.
Clinical exposure was also deemed inadequate. Outpatient attendance stood at 182 patients at 1 pm, against the required 400, while bed occupancy was recorded at 45 per cent compared to the mandated 80 per cent. Intensive care units showed an average occupancy of around 50 per cent. The number of deliveries averaged about 25 per month, which the MARB described as “grossly deficient.”
The report further noted that several practical laboratories and the research laboratory were not available. Lecture theatres failed to meet minimum standards, the library housed only 744 books against a requirement of 1,500, and subscribed to just two journals instead of the mandated 15.
Additional gaps included the absence of an antiretroviral therapy centre and facilities for managing multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Only two operation theatres were functional against a requirement of five, with no minor operation theatre in the outpatient department and inadequate equipment for para-clinical subjects. Some departments also lacked separate male and female wards.
The Regulatory Basis for Withdrawal
Citing Chapter V, Regulation 29 of the Establishment of Medical Institutions, Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023—which treats non-compliance as a punishable offence—the MARB classified the shortcomings as statutory non-compliance.
After reviewing the assessment report, the commission concluded that the institute had failed to meet the minimum standards laid down under the Undergraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023. With the approval of the NMC chairperson, the MARB decided to withdraw the LoP with immediate effect, PTI said.
The regulator also ordered the invocation of the performance bank guarantee submitted by the college, signalling the financial consequences of regulatory failure.
What Happens to the Students
To ensure that students are not academically disadvantaged, the MARB directed that all students admitted during counselling for the 2025–26 academic year be accommodated in other medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir as supernumerary seats.
“This means no admitted student will lose an MBBS seat due to the withdrawal decision,” PTI reported. The process of relocation will be overseen by the Union Territory’s designated health and counselling authorities, who have been formally notified.
Why the Shutdown Happened
Despite the political and public controversy, the formal basis for the shutdown remains regulatory. The NMC’s decision was driven by documented deficiencies in faculty strength, infrastructure and clinical exposure, identified through a surprise inspection and assessed under existing regulations.
While the order to relocate students has prevented immediate academic disruption, the future of the institution remains uncertain. Whether it can rectify the deficiencies and secure fresh approval is yet to be seen.
For now, the episode stands as a reminder of how regulatory enforcement, institutional readiness and local politics can intersect, with students caught at the centre of the fallout.
