December 2, 2025
Web desk
Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has strongly opposed any attempt to introduce religious criteria in admissions at the Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME). He emphasized that the Constitution does not allow seats to be allocated on the basis of religion.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday in Rajouri/Jammu, Abdullah said that students who secured admission through NEET should not be “punished” or questioned because of their religion. He added that these students earned their seats purely on merit.
The remarks came amid protests in Jammu’s Ramban area demanding a separate MBBS quota for Hindu students at the university. Demonstrators argued that representation was needed, but the government maintained that NEET rules leave no space for religious segregation.
Abdullah reiterated that since the establishment of the medical college, it was clear that NEET based solely on merit would determine admissions. “The only criterion of NEET is merit,” he said, dismissing calls for religious-based quotas.
