SRINAGAR | January 22, 2026 — Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today announced a breakthrough in the academic standoff involving medical students from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME).
Taking to social media, the Chief Minister’s Office confirmed that the Jammu and Kashmir government has successfully resolved the college allocation issue for the selected MBBS candidates.
The resolution comes after weeks of uncertainty following the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) withdrawal of the institute’s Letter of Permission on January 6 due to infrastructure and faculty deficiencies.
“With BOPEE now issuing the counselling schedule, the selected candidates can move ahead with their studies,” the Chief Minister stated, ending the “academically stranded” status of the 50 merit-based students.
The J&K Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (JKBOPEE) has officially notified the physical round of counselling to be held on January 24, 2026, starting at 10:00 A.M.
This session will facilitate the transfer of the 50 affected students to seven government medical colleges (GMCs) across the Union Territory under newly created supernumerary seats.
According to the seat matrix, GMC Anantnag will accommodate 8 students, while GMC Baramulla, Doda, Handwara, Kathua, Rajouri, and Udhampur will each take 7 students.The closure of the SMVDIME MBBS program had previously sparked intense political and social debate in the region after 42 of the 50 seats were secured by Muslim students through the NEET merit process.
While some groups had protested the demographic composition of the inaugural batch at the Shrine Board-funded institution, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has consistently maintained that “merit is the sole basis” for these admissions.
The government’s swift action to create supernumerary seats ensures that these high-ranking students do not lose an academic year due to the regulatory fallout at the original campus.
