'Stop taking grants, pay amount for free land': J-K CM Abdullah on Vaishno Devi medic
'Stop taking grants, pay amount for free land': J-K CM Abdullah on Vaishno Devi medical college row
M.U.H
03/12/202513
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the MBBS seats in Vaishno Devi medical college cannot be allocated on the basis of religion as NEET exam, gateway for admission to medical colleges, sees only merit. This came amid the institution's request to place 100 per cent of its 50 MBBS seats under the All-India Quota (AIQ).
When questioned about the row, CM Abdullah said it would be unfair to deny admission to meritorious students on the basis of their religion.
“What is the need to say anything about it? When they decided to build a medical college in the university, they knew that seats could not be divided on the basis of religion. The NEET examination was decided as the basis for admission, and the NEET exam sees only merit. Those who scored well in the exam and secured admission on that basis would be very unfair to deny them a seat just because of their religion. Neither the law nor the Constitution approves of this,” he said.
Abdullah said such institutes should stop availing state grants and return free land if they want to divide seats based on ‘religion’.
“If they want to divide seats on the basis of religion, they should stop taking the grant-in-aid from the government, pay the amount for the free land that was allocated to them, and then you can change the laws of your university and cater to only one community," he added.
Hindu groups seek reservation
The Yuva Rajput Sabha on Monday initiated a protest seeking reservation for Hindus in the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence. The outfit demanded that Muslim students be shifted from the institute.
This came after 42 Muslims candidates, mostly from Kashmir, secured seats in the medical college through the NEET exam. Besides, seven Hindus and one Sikh candidate availed medical seats.
A delegation of BJP on Tuesday met Union Minister JP Nadda in this regard.
The medical college, built on 34 acres of land owned by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, was granted permission by the National Medical Commission on September 8 to commence admissions for the session.
