Students Shocked as MBBS Course Suspended at Vaishno Devi Medical College in Jammu

Students at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Jammu’s Katra are facing uncertainty and distress following the suspension of its MBBS programme over alleged shortcomings in infrastructure and faculty, despite the institution being linked to a fully operational super-speciality hospital.

The decision has triggered anxiety among enrolled students, many of whom have begun leaving the campus amid confusion over their academic future. Several students expressed disbelief, stating that the college offered advanced facilities and was regarded as one of the most ambitious healthcare education projects in Jammu and Kashmir.

The medical college admitted its first batch through the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) counselling process in late 2024. Of the 50 sanctioned MBBS seats, a majority were secured by students from Kashmir, adding to the sensitivity surrounding the suspension.

In early 2026, the National Medical Commission withdrew the approval it had granted just months earlier, citing deficiencies in faculty strength, clinical material, and infrastructure during a surprise inspection. The move came despite the presence of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, a large tertiary-care facility that has been functional since 2016 and serves as a referral centre in the region.

The hospital, inaugurated by Narendra Modi, houses multiple speciality and super-speciality departments and has been involved in mentoring newer medical institutions in the Jammu division. Authorities associated with the institution maintain that the hospital meets essential norms required to support a medical college and had submitted expansion plans to accommodate additional seats and allied medical courses. The suspension of the MBBS course has also sparked political and social reactions, with student groups and political organisations staging protests in Jammu, demanding immediate restoration of admissions. Protesters argued that shutting down a newly established medical college would harm healthcare infrastructure and deprive the region of trained medical professionals.

Critics of the decision warned that academic institutions should not become casualties of political pressure or regional divisions. They stressed that discontinuing the programme would not only disrupt students’ careers but also undermine long-term healthcare capacity in Jammu and Kashmir.

As discussions continue, affected students remain in limbo, awaiting clarity on whether the MBBS course will be reinstated or alternative arrangements will be made for their education.