JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday assured that the first batch of 50 students selected for admission into the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), Reasi, should not suffer due to withdrawal of permission by the NMC to conduct the MBBS course. The government will accommodate the students of other institutions by providing surplus seats, he said.“We will accommodate them by creating surplus seats in colleges near their homes so that their education does not suffer,” the CM told mediapersons on the sidelines of an event in Jammu. It is the government’s responsibility to accommodate the students, he said, adding that it is not a difficult task and has been “thoroughly discussed”.Surplus seats are additional seats created beyond the approved number of admissions in an educational institution.Omar criticized the agitation led by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti against 42 Muslim students, mostly from Kashmir, getting admission in the medical institute in Jammu funded by the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, unlike only seven Hindus. He reiterated that the students were admitted on the basis of merit as the selection was made on the basis of NEET results.SMVDIME’s non-compliance with minimum standards was cited as the reason for the NMC’s order to revoke the permit. In this regard, Omar said that responsibility must be established if standards are not met at the medical institute. “We will accommodate these 50 students, but someone has to pay for the damage done to the students’ future,” he said.Replying to questions about inspections by NMC and non-compliance of norms by the medical college, he said: “You should question the university and its officials from the ground up – why did it fail inspection after building a medical college?”The CM also interacted with the J&K Under-16 cricket team which won the Vijay Merchant Trophy (Plate Group) for the first time. Congratulating the team on their remarkable achievement, he said, “Your victory reflects not only talent but also teamwork, discipline and dedication. You have made the entire J&K proud.”Omar presented a recognition trophy to the winning team led by Smagey Khajuria. J&K defeated Mizoram by an innings and 182 runs to lift the trophy in Surat on January 6.
