Jammu, Jan 8: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the government will accommodate students affected by the closure of a medical college by adjusting them in other institutions through supernumerary seats, asserting that their education will not be allowed to suffer.
The chief minister also said that accountability must be fixed if standards were not maintained at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College.
Supernumerary seats are additional seats created over and above the intake approved by an authority.
“The Health Minister is standing here with me. Yesterday, she was with me in Samba. We have discussed this issue thoroughly and, as I said yesterday in Samba after the issuance of the order, these students have passed the NEET examination in a lawful manner. They have merit,” Abdullah told reporters here.
“It is our legal responsibility to accommodate them. We will adjust them by creating supernumerary seats in colleges close to their homes so that their education does not suffer,” he said.
He said adjusting the students was not a difficult task. “We will do it,” he added.
Taking a dig at the BJP and others in Jammu, Abdullah said aspirants across the country struggle to secure medical college seats.
“We are perhaps the only place where we received a fully built medical college and yet got it shut down due to protests,” he said.
Responding to questions on inspections by the National Medical Commission (NMC) at other colleges, the chief minister asked who conducted the inspections and how the college was cleared.
“You should question the university and its office-bearers from top to bottom—why, after building a medical college, did it fail to pass inspection?” he said.
On the National Medical Commission’s assertion that norms were not fulfilled, Abdullah said the matter was even more unfortunate. “Who heads this university and who is its Chancellor? They should also be questioned. Instead of questioning me alone, ask them as well,” he said.
He reiterated that accountability must be fixed if standards are not maintained. “If today the BJP is happy that the university failed to maintain standards, then who is responsible and what action will be taken? We will adjust these 50 students, but someone must answer for the damage done to students’ futures,” he said.
On whether the government intended to take back financial aid given to the institution, Abdullah said, “The aid was given to the university. We are not the kind of people who give money and then take it back.”
Commenting on unemployment and criticism that he speaks too much, the chief minister said he had never shied away from any issue.
“Tell me which issue I have remained silent on. There is none. If anyone wants further answers, the Assembly session is coming up. Members can raise questions there, and we will respond,” he said.
Closure of medical college wrong, unjust: Farooq
Srinagar, Jan 8 : National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said the closure of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir was “wrong” and an “injustice” to the students.
“This is wrong. This is definitely injustice,” Abdullah told reporters here.
The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir said he felt “sad” about “the way our nation is going”.
The National Conference (NC) chief was reacting to the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) withdrawing the letter of recognition granted to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence for non-compliance with minimum standards.
The MARB has said that all students admitted to the college during counselling for the 2025-26 academic year shall be accommodated in the other medical institutions in Jammu and Kashmir as supernumerary seats by the competent authority of the UT administration.
The order followed an agitation by the Sangharsh Samiti, a recently-formed conglomerate of right-wing outfits backed by the BJP, demanding cancellation of admissions to the medical college and seeking reservation of seats exclusively for students professing faith in Mata Vaishno Devi.
