Medical college shut down following Muslim students’ merit-based admissions

OCCUPIED KASHMIR: A newly established medical college in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) has been shut down following protests by right-wing Hindu groups, triggering widespread concern over the growing influence of religion and politics in India’s education sector.

According to reports by Al Jazeera, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical Institute was forced to close after extremist Hindu groups and leaders linked to India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) objected to the admission of Muslim students. Protesters described the presence of Muslim students as “inappropriate,” arguing that an institution funded by Hindu religious donations should not admit them.

The controversy intensified after it emerged that most of the 50 students admitted in the college’s first batch were Muslims, all of whom had secured their seats purely on merit through the national medical entrance process.

Soon after the protests, India’s National Medical Commission (NMC) withdrew the institute’s approval, citing alleged deficiencies in infrastructure. Critics, however, have questioned the timing of the decision, noting that the college had already begun academic operations before the objections were raised.

The closure has left dozens of students stranded, with no immediate alternative medical colleges available to accommodate them. Families and education advocates have expressed alarm over the uncertainty surrounding the students’ futures.

Observers say the incident underscores deepening religious polarization in India, raising serious questions about whether merit-based education is being undermined by ideological pressures. Rights groups have warned that such actions risk eroding equal access to education and further marginalizing minority communities.

The episode has reignited debate over the role of religion in public institutions and the independence of regulatory bodies in the country.