Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that the Union Territory’s government will help students affected by the closure of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence by accommodating them in other institutes through supernumerary seats, PTI reported.

These are additional seats created in an education institute over and above the intake approved by an authority.

The National Conference leader also said that accountability must be fixed if standards were not maintained at the institute.

Abdullah’s announcement came two days after the National Medical Commission withdrew approval for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Reasi district to run its MBBS course for the academic year 2025-’26.

The regulatory body for medical education cited deficiencies in its infrastructure, including faculty strength and clinical material, for the withdrawal.

There had been protests at the institute in December after the release of the first admissions list for its MBBS programme by the Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examinations. Of the 50 candidates selected for the institute’s first MBBS batch, 44 were Muslims from Kashmir and six were Hindus from Jammu.

Of the six Hindu candidates, only three reportedly joined the course.

The protests had been led by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, with members of the Bharatiya Janata Party, its parent organisation the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, its affiliate Bajrang Dal and the Shiv Sena. Other Hindutva groups had also participated in the protests.

The protesters had demanded that the first admission list be cancelled and that preference be given to Hindu students, as the institute was set up through donations to the Vaishno Devi shrine.

However, the rules do not allow the consideration of religion as a factor for admissions as the college is not classified as a minority institute.

On Thursday, Abdullah said that he had discussed the matter with the state health minister, adding that the selected students had passed the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test in a lawful manner and have merit, PTI reported.

NEET is a qualifying test for undergraduate courses in medical and dental colleges across India. It is conducted by the National Testing Agency.

“It is our legal responsibility to accommodate them,” the news agency quoted the chief minister as saying. “We will adjust them by creating supernumerary seats in colleges close to their homes so that their education does not suffer.”

However, the National Conference leader said that the Union government must also reflect on the injustice done to the students’ futures by shutting down the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence.

“Today, out of 50 seats, 40 were taken by Muslim students and objections were raised,” the news agency quoted him as saying. “But if, over time, the number of seats in this college had gradually increased to 400-500, it is possible that 250-300 students in the future would have been from Jammu. Where will those students go now?”

Noting that aspirants across the country struggle to secure medical college seats, Abdullah added: “We are perhaps the only place where we received a fully-built medical college and yet got it shut down due to protests.”

Responding to questions about the claims made by the National Medical Commission that norms were not complied with at the institute, the chief minister said that the matter was even more unfortunate, PTI reported.

“Who heads this university and who is its chancellor?” the news agency quoted Abdullah as saying. “They should also be questioned. Instead of questioning me alone, ask them as well.”

He added: “If today the BJP is happy that the university failed to maintain standards, then who is responsible and what action will be taken?”