Katra Medical College closure under right wing pressure sets a dangerous precedent
The newly established medical college named Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) was closed following the ruckus created by the RSS–BJP communal elements after admission of 42 Muslim students on Merit
[Students outside the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence on Wednesday. (Photo Courtesy: Arun Sharma/Indian Express)]
It was deeply disturbing to witness the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) openly rejoicing over the closure of the Medical College at Katra in Jammu and Kashmir. At a time when people across the country are demanding the opening of more medical colleges to ensure access to advanced medical care closer to their homes, this decision runs completely counter to public interest. For this very reason, the granting of permission to the Katra Medical College last year was widely welcomed.
The college is run by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and functions under a dual administrative framework involving both the Trust and the government. The Shrine Board already manages several institutions that function efficiently and serve the public well. Millions of devotees visit the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine every year and offer donations, which are utilized for public welfare activities, including the running of educational and healthcare institutions.
The newly established medical college was named Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME). In accordance with constitutional principles and established admission norms, admissions to 50 seats were made strictly on the basis of merit. What provoked the ire of RSS–BJP communal elements was the fact that 42 out of the 50 students admitted on merit were Muslims.
This triggered a communal agitation, with the absurd and unconstitutional demand that the college should admit only Hindu students, and that Muslims have no place in an institution funded by a trust associated with a Hindu religious shrine. Such arguments strike at the very heart of India’s secular Constitution.
The National Medical Commission (NMC), the statutory body responsible for regulating medical education, subsequently ordered the closure of the college, citing alleged deficiencies in infrastructure. This justification is astonishing and completely unconvincing. The college had received permission only recently, and the intake was for the first batch, which requires relatively minimal infrastructure. Established practice dictates that if infrastructural shortcomings are found, institutions are issued notices and given time to rectify them. Closure is resorted to only after repeated non-compliance despite multiple warnings.. There are several medical colleges in the country which lack infrastructure but NMC has not shown any concern for them.
In this case, no such process was followed. The abrupt closure appears to be nothing more than a pretext, with the real reason being intense political and communal pressure exerted by the RSS–BJP, which currently holds power at the Centre. The public celebration of the closure by these very forces only reinforces this conclusion.
This single fact—the religious identity of students admitted purely on merit—seems to have triggered a politically motivated and sectarian campaign by the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). They have openly argued that since the college is run by the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, admissions should be restricted to Hindus. This argument is unconstitutional, discriminatory, and legally untenable.
The Katra Medical College does not enjoy minority status, and therefore any demand for religious exclusion in admissions is illegal and violates the Constitution of India. Admissions based on merit, irrespective of religion, caste, or creed, are the cornerstone of a democratic and secular education system.
The Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD), an organization of health professionals committed to universal healthcare, has strongly criticized the closure of the college. IDPD has described the decision as arbitrary, unjust, and deeply troubling, stating that it strikes at the foundations of merit, constitutional values, and institutional autonomy.
The National Medical Commission is a statutory, autonomous regulatory body and is expected to function independently, guided solely by law, ethics, and public interest. Its apparent capitulation to sectarian and political pressure in this matter is extremely unfortunate and raises serious concerns about the erosion of institutional autonomy. Such surrender sets a dangerous precedent and threatens to have grave long-term consequences for medical education, social harmony, and the rule of law in the country.
By shutting down the medical college, the NMC has not only punished students who were admitted fairly and lawfully, but has also sent a chilling message that merit can be overridden by communal considerations. This is wholly unacceptable in a constitutional democracy.
It is therefore of utmost importance that the Medical College at Katra is immediately reopened and allowed to function strictly in accordance with the law.
Education cannot be communalised; Merit cannot be punished; Constitutional institutions must not surrender to sectarian pressure.
[The writer, Dr Arun Mitra, is a Practicing ENT Surgeon in Ludhiana, Punjab. He is also the President of the Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) www.idpd.org.]
Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates.
Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic
