JAMMU: In a major relief for the 50 MBBS students affected by the revocation of permission to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), the Jammu and Kashmir Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (JK BOPEE) has announced fresh counselling on January 24 to adjust them in government medical colleges across the Union Territory.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah confirmed that the long-pending college allocation issue has been resolved, assuring that the academic future of the selected candidates will not suffer. “With BOPEE now issuing the counselling schedule, the selected candidates can move ahead with their studies,” the Chief Minister’s Office said in a post on X.
According to a notification issued by BOPEE Controller of Examinations Prof Gurvinder Raj Verma, the counselling will be conducted to allot 50 supernumerary seats strictly on the basis of NEET-UG merit and the candidates’ preferences among seven newly established government medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir.
As per the seat distribution, eight students will be accommodated in Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag, while seven seats each have been earmarked for GMCs at Baramulla, Doda, Handwara, Kathua, Rajouri and Udhampur.
The Board said the physical round of counselling will be held at its offices in Srinagar and Jammu. Candidates unable to attend in person have been allowed to authorise a blood relative to participate on their behalf, subject to submission of the prescribed authorisation letter and valid identification documents.
Earlier this month, the National Medical Commission’s Medical Assessment and Rating Board withdrew the letter of permission granted to SMVDIME for non-compliance with minimum standards. It had directed that students already admitted to the college be accommodated in other institutions in the Union Territory against supernumerary seats.
On January 8, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had asserted that accommodating the affected students was the government’s legal responsibility and assured that they would be adjusted in colleges close to their homes to ensure continuity of their medical education.
