Srinagar, Nov 13 (KNO): With the admissions deadline approaching, MBBS aspirants and their parents staged a protest at Press Colony here on Friday, urging the National Medical Commission to grant Kashmir Medical College a Letter of Permission without further delay.
The students and parents, as reported by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), expressed concern over the prolonged uncertainty surrounding the proposed medical college, saying the delay in securing the mandatory approval was jeopardising the academic future of more than 100 aspiring medical students. They said their demand was aimed at ensuring that the institution becomes operational and admissions are allowed to begin within the stipulated timeframe, rather than targeting any individual or authority.
According to the protesting aspirants, the issue has remained unresolved for the past five months despite repeated efforts to seek intervention from the concerned authorities.
One of the students said they had approached the High Court in September and received a favourable hearing on October 27, but the matter was yet to reach a conclusion. "With November 16 approaching and the next court hearing scheduled for November 20, we are worried about losing another academic year. We appeal to the concerned authorities to intervene and resolve the issue at the earliest," he said.
The students maintained that an early decision on the LoP would not only protect their academic interests but also help strengthen medical education facilities in Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) has extended its support to the affected students and called on the Union Health Ministry to intervene urgently to resolve the pending approval issue, expressing serious concern over the five-month delay.
Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, President of AIMSA, said granting permission to Kashmir Medical College to commence its MBBS programme would open up additional opportunities for students from the Valley to pursue medical education within Jammu and Kashmir instead of having to look outside the region or abroad. He said the proposed institution represented an important opportunity to expand the region's medical education infrastructure and called upon people across Jammu and Kashmir to support the initiative.
Dr Burhan Hameed, Chief Advisor of AIMSA, said the future of more than 100 aspiring medical students could not be left uncertain due to prolonged administrative delays, urging the authorities to take immediate and concrete measures to settle the matter, particularly in view of the November 16 deadline.
AIMSA has also appealed to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda to personally intervene in the matter and facilitate an early resolution, saying the interests of the affected students must be safeguarded. The association reiterated its support for the students and urged the authorities to ensure that the pending LoP issue is resolved before the deadline, allowing the admission process to move forward without further uncertainty—(KNO)