SRINAGAR: A fresh wave of controversy has swept across Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The issue arose after the first admission list of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College showed a large majority of Muslim students securing seats on merit, provoking strong reactions from several Hindu nationalist groups and once again exposing deep-rooted communal divisions in the region.
Local reports confirm that 42 out of the 50 seats allocated to Jammu and Kashmir in the newly established medical college were awarded to Muslim candidates solely on the basis of merit.
This outcome triggered immediate protests from Hindu extremist organisations—including the BJP, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), and Bajrang Dal, who have demanded that the admissions be revoked and the entire process reviewed.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah rejected the objections, stating that the admissions were conducted transparently and entirely on merit, without any consideration of religion or community identity. He emphasised that merit-based selection is essential for ensuring fairness and maintaining academic standards.
“If the BJP has such a serious issue with Muslim students qualifying on merit, they should declare the institution a minority-run college,” Abdullah remarked. “If that happens, Kashmiri students will simply pursue medical education in countries like Bangladesh or Türkiye.”
Despite the government’s clarification, Hindu organisations continue to argue that Hindu students should be prioritised for admission, intensifying communal tensions and fuelling an already charged political atmosphere across the region.
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