Not so easy to explain |
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) located in the foothills of the revered shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi (Katra) has been dragged into a controversy which was seemingly avoidable. The barely six-month old medical college has suddenly been sought to be made an instrument of communal polarization in Jammu and Kashmir.
It is seldom that the controversy over selection of candidates, in this case done by a central agency on all India basis, stems from a communal dispute rather than merit, or any other basis. Out of the 50 candidates selected on the basis of NEET examination, 42 were Muslims, one Sikh and seven Hindus. This became the basis for some hitting the street. They questioned how an institute funded by offerings made at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine could have majority Muslim candidates. This is an affront to the country’s laid down system and norms.
There is no denying the fact that the communal divide runs deep into the demography of Jammu, and Kashmir and that it is dug further deep in every election season or whenever the political leaders feel insecure. The situation on this front has got further entrenched during the last over a decade and it will not be wrong to say the SMVDIME controversy is its new manifestation with dangerous consequences.
The quick turn of events after Centre acting “swiftly” to press the National Medical Commission (NMC) into service which in turn withdrew its Letter of Permission (LoP) granted to SMVDIME to run MBBS course in August-September last year for the 2025-26 session.
What went wrong within six months? Were the flaws ignored during earlier inspection, if any, and under whose pressure? Both........