Admissions Must Be By Merit, Not Religion : CM Omar
Suhail Khan
Srinagar, Nov. 25 : Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that the debate surrounding admissions at Mata Vaishno Devi University is diverging from constitutional principles. He cautioned that basing admission decisions on religion would set a dangerous precedent, potentially affecting other public services.
Speaking to the media, Abdullah referenced the state assembly-approved act that established the university, emphasizing that the law does not restrict admissions by religious affiliation. “When the assembly passed the bill to establish Mata Vaishno Devi University, where was it written that boys and girls of one religion would be excluded?” he asked, according to the The Web Story/ The Varmul Post.
He affirmed that the act mandates admissions based solely on merit. “At that time, it was stated that admission would be based on merit, not religion. Now, when admission decisions follow merit, some people are unhappy,” Abdullah stated.
The Chief Minister as per The Web Story
/The Varmul Post asserted that any deviation from the merit-based principle would require approval from the Supreme Court. “As far as I know, admission cannot be granted without merit,” he said, adding that introducing religion into the process would violate constitutional provisions.
Abdullah warned that allowing religion to influence institutional decisions could extend to other areas of governance. “If decisions are made based on religion, should social welfare schemes follow the same principle? Should police officers perform their duties based on religion?” he questioned.
He urged the Leader of the Opposition, Sunil Sharma, to review the assembly record to confirm that no provision permits seat distribution based on religion.
The political controversy erupted after a Muslim-majority batch of students was admitted to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), a college funded by donations to the Hindu shrine. Hindu organizations and BJP leaders have protested the admissions, arguing the institution should prioritize Hindu students. University officials have consistently maintained that the admissions were purely merit-based, following national NEET guidelines and J&K domicile rules.
The issue has escalated, with the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board now reportedly considering a proposal to grant the college Hindu minority status, which would legally allow for religious-based reservations.
Earleir on Sunday Opposition Leaders Condemn “Communalization” of Education, Peoples Conference President Sajad Gani Lone issued a sharp critique, condemning what he characterized as a “perilous attempt to communalise medical sciences.”
“This is too much of a stretch. The BJP is now experimenting with the concept of communalising medical sciences,” Lone said, calling for a return to constitutional norms and academic integrity.
He emphasized that medical admissions operate under a uniform national framework through the NEET examination. “The finest brains in the country sit that exam… These doctors serve people, treat them, perform surgeries,” Lone stated. “The scientists who made all this possible will turn in their graves when they find out that medicine has been relegated to a group of undereducated political leaders.”
Lone argued that India should be pursuing global prominence in medical research instead of engaging in divisive rhetoric. “Medical science needs researchers, not religious zealots,” he added.
Echoing these sentiments, Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, wrote on X: “In Naya Kashmir discrimination towards Muslims now also extends to education. The irony is that this anti-Muslim apartheid is being legitimised in India’s only Muslim-majority state with its only Muslim Chief Minister. Shameful.”
Meanwhile, The BJP and allied Hindu groups have demanded the current admission list be scrapped, arguing that as a shrine-funded institution, it should reserve seats for Hindu students, similar to other minority institutions.
A J&K BJP delegation, led by Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma, met with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the university’s chairman, to demand a review.
“We have strong reservations over the initial admission list, in which 42 out of 50 students were from the Muslim community,” Sharma said. “This caused widespread anger and distress among Hindus who donate to the shrine.”
Officials, however as per The Web Story/The Varmul Post have clarified that without an official minority status, the college is bound by National Medical Commission guidelines, which require all seats to be filled through a centralized counseling process based on NEET merit and domicile rules, with no consideration for religious affiliation.
