- Centre approves new medical college in Kakryal, Jammu & Kashmir, with an initial intake of 50 MBBS seats under the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME).
- College to expand capacity to 100 seats, aiming to boost opportunities for aspiring doctors and address shortages of medical professionals in underserved regions.
- Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha hails the move as a milestone, strengthening healthcare access, medical education, and infrastructure in the Union Territory.
The Centre has sanctioned the opening of a new medical college in Jammu and Kashmir with a preliminary intake of 50 MBBS seats, which is being referred to as a milestone for healthcare and medical education in the Union Territory. The development was confirmed by the office of the Lieutenant Governor in a social media message, expressing thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda for clearing the project.
The facility, which will be named the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), is supposed to impart 'world-class' education as well as enhance healthcare infrastructure in the area. The proposal to set up the new college was initially met in the 71st meeting of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board on August 19, 2023, when in-principle approval was granted to build a 50-seat medical college in Kakryal.
The eventual goal is to increase its capacity to 100 MBBS seats to facilitate greater access to medical education in the future. Authorities have highlighted that the move is aligned with the government's intention to provide more opportunities to would-be doctors from Jammu and Kashmir while, at the same time, trying to meet the shortage of qualified medical doctors in underserved regions.
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In a press statement, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's office highlighted that the action is part of the bigger plan to increase the number of MBBS seats throughout the Union Territory. "Our goal is to enable more MBBS candidates to study in the UT, and we have made considerable progress in this regard by increasing MBBS seats over the last three years. These efforts will provide larger access to specialized care and strengthen the healthcare system", the office added.
The creation of SMVDIME is anticipated to help decongest the student population that tends to travel outside the region in search of medical schooling, while also helping the local healthcare system gain from a boosted supply of trained professionals. By linking schooling with delivery of services, the institution is being poised as a key milestone toward bridging healthcare access gaps.
The sanction also indicates the Centre's ongoing emphasis on consolidating higher education as well as health care services in Jammu and Kashmir, providing students with new opportunities and improved facilities for patients.
