Former J&K chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday (January 9, 2026) said the cancellation of MBBS course at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, where 42 Muslims qualified out of 50 seats last year, is a “a dangerous precedent”.
“Fringe and communal forces in Jammu affiliated with the BJP, RSS, and Bajrang Dal influenced the decision (to withdraw the MBBS course). We are encouraging a mindset by succumbing to such pressure. They will employ similar tactics elsewhere under the notion that these are Muslims and from Kashmir and push them out,” Ms. Mufti said.
Cancellation of MBBS course at Vaishno Devi medical college welcomed by protestors
Ms. Mufti was referring to the National Medical Council’s decision to withdraw the MBBS course from the varsity, in the wake of protests by BJP and Hindu groups against the admission of 42 Muslim students in the 50-seat medical college.
“It’s a politically motivated decision, a tactic and a dangerous precedent that could be replicated against minorities across India. When education is politicized in the name of religion, and the youth of J&K find no place even in their own territory, how can they feel secure in Haryana, Punjab, or other states?” Ms. Mufti said.
