Jammu, September 8, 2025 : In a significant development for medical education in Jammu and Kashmir, the newly established Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) has been granted 50 MBBS seats. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister J P Nadda for their support in this landmark decision.
The medical college, set up by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), began its journey last year in the scenic Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. The first batch of MBBS students is slated to begin studies in the upcoming 2025-26 academic session.
Taking to social media platform X, the Lieutenant Governor said, “Grateful to Honourable PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji and Union Health Minister Shri J P Nadda Ji for sanctioning 50 MBBS seats at SMVDIME.” He highlighted that this initiative reflects the Board’s commitment to delivering high-quality medical education in the region while addressing the urgent need for healthcare access in underserved areas.
The idea for the medical college was first approved in principle during the Shrine Board’s 71st meeting held on August 19, 2023, with plans to eventually expand to 100 seats. The LG emphasized, “Our aim is to enable more MBBS aspirants from the Union Territory to pursue medical education locally, thereby strengthening the healthcare system and ensuring specialized care reaches every corner of J&K.”
According to Dr Yaspaul Sharma, Executive Director of SMVDIME, counselling for the first academic session is actively underway. The college operates from the administrative block of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University in Kakryal and is progressing rapidly toward full infrastructure completion.
Affiliated with SMVD University, the institute is closely linked to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, which serves as its teaching hospital. MBBS students will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience across approximately 26 specialties, offering in-depth practical learning in advanced medical care.
This step marks a major leap toward achieving better healthcare outcomes and expanding professional medical education in Jammu and Kashmir, aligning with the vision of developing a robust, self-sufficient healthcare ecosystem in the region.
