'Communalising medical sciences': Lone criticises calls for J&K quota in MBBS admissions

People’s Conference president Sajad Gani Lone on Saturday condemned the demand by a BJP MLA for reservations for Hindu students in MBBS admissions at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University medical college, saying the move reflects an attempt to “communalise the medical sciences.” Lone, a former BJP ally, asserted that places in medical colleges should be secured strictly through a merit-based national entrance system.

The reaction came after controversy erupted over the first admission list issued by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), which showed that 42 out of 50 admitted students were from Kashmir.

BJP MLA R.S. Pathania called for Hindu reservations in the institution, located in Reasi district, while a delegation of BJP legislators met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to raise objections to the admissions list.

Lone said the BJP’s stand revealed a “perilous attempt to communalise the medical sciences” and reflected a “profoundly troubling politicisation of one of the nation’s most rigorous and merit-based disciplines.” Calling the controversy “too much of a stretch,” the Handwara MLA described it as a “political trivialisation” of a distinguished field and urged the BJP to return to “constitutional norms and academic integrity.”

Emphasising that medical admissions in India operate under a uniform national system, Lone said candidates obtain seats through the NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test), which he described as one of the toughest merit-driven exams in the country. “The finest brains sit for this exam and those who get selected work hard to become doctors. And then these doctors serve people, treat them, perform surgeries,” he said, adding that the scientists who built the medical ecosystem “would turn in their graves” over attempts to inject communal politics into the discipline.

Calling for higher standards in public leadership, Lone remarked that “a basic level of IQ” should be a prerequisite for entering public life.

Meanwhile, BJP legislators pressed their demand during a meeting late Saturday with the Lieutenant Governor. The delegation, led by Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma, questioned the selection list and alleged that the majority of admitted students were from one community. They appealed to the administration to ensure that students “having faith in the deity” be considered for admission.