Srinagar, Oct. 13, KDC: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has directed the National Medical Commission to urgently conduct a physical inspection of the newly established Kashmir Medical College located in Industrial Estate, Sempora area of Srinagar city and revisit its decision regarding the allocation of 150 MBBS seats for the 2026 to 2027 academic session.
Hearing a writ petition filed by the college, Justice Mohd Yousuf Wani granted the National Medical Commission and its Medical Assessment and Rating Board time until October 21 to complete the physical inspection of the college and its attached 650 bedded teaching hospital at Sempora Srinagar and file a formal compliance report.
The dispute arose when the Medical Assessment and Rating Board initially rejected the college application on June 9, 2026, citing that the infrastructure was under process. The college contended that this rejection was passed hurriedly without conducting any physical inspection or specifying any infrastructural deficiencies, thereby denying the institution an opportunity to rectify them as mandated by the National Medical Commission Act.
Following the dismissal of its first appeal, the college approached the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The Second Appellate Authority disposed of the appeal on August 24, 2026, and remanded the matter back to the National Medical Commission for reevaluation.
The appellate authority observed that the college had substantially complied with the statutory requirements, including the availability of infrastructure and the procurement of necessary certificates.
Taking note of this, the High Court on September 16 directed the commission to pass appropriate orders in light of the appellate authority observations within ten days. However, the National Medical Commission issued a subsequent order on September 29, which the college challenged as unjustifiable and discriminatory.
The college argued that the academic session for MBBS students is likely to commence in the last week of October and any further delay would cause an irreparable loss of an academic year. Consequently, the High Court on October 5 ordered the commission to conduct a physical inspection in the presence of the authorized representative of the college and revisit its September 29 decision.
During the latest hearing on October 13, the counsel for the respondents informed the court that the implementation of the physical inspection order was underway and sought a week of extra time to file the compliance report. The court accepted the request, directing the commission to make every endeavor to conduct the inspection early in the week and submit the report by October 21.
Advocates Showkat Naqshbandi and Shivam Singh represented the petitioner college while Deputy Solicitor General of India T. M. Shamsi along with Advocate Shagufta Maqbool represented the respondent authorities. (KDC)
