Srinagar, Jan 7: The withdrawal of recognition for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Reasi by the National Medical Commission has sparked widespread concern across Jammu and Kashmir, with doctors and academics warning that the decision carries serious consequences for both regions.

The controversy emerged after protests by certain groups over the admission profile of the college’s first MBBS batch, in which a majority of selected candidates were Muslim. Authorities have maintained that all admissions were conducted strictly on merit through NEET, with no consideration of religion.

Several senior doctors, speaking on condition of anonymity, highlighted the immediate impact on students whose academic futures are now uncertain. “A medical seat is not a political token. These students cleared a national examination and earned their place. Destabilising an institution at this stage damages the credibility of the entire system,” said a physician associated with a government medical college in Jammu.

Experts also pointed to the institutional setback for Jammu, where the college was intended to strengthen healthcare delivery in remote districts like Reasi. “This college was meant to address doctor shortages in the Chenab belt. The withdrawal of recognition sets back years of planning and investment. Jammu loses a vital academic asset,” said a senior medico at SMHS Hospital, Srinagar.

In Kashmir, academicians warned of the social and psychological fallout. “When merit-based admissions are communalised, it sends a dangerous signal. Kashmiri students begin to feel that even merit cannot shield them from suspicion. That alienation has long-term consequences,” said a university academic.

Officials stressed that politicising medical education risks discouraging future investments and undermines confidence in regulatory processes. “This episode weakens faith in autonomous regulation. Medical education must remain insulated from identity politics; otherwise, the entire region pays the price,” a retired health administrator said.

While the institutional loss is more pronounced in Jammu and the social fallout sharper in Kashmir, experts agree the overall damage is collective. The episode has raised critical questions about the protection of merit, the stability of new institutions, and the long-term psychological impact on students across the region