The National Medical Commission (NMC) has decided to withdraw its letter of permission to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra, citing a failure to meet “minimum standards” following a surprise inspection on January 2.

The withdrawal follows weeks of protests by the Sangharsh Samiti, a conglomerate of right-wing organisations backed by the BJP, demanding the cancellation of the current batch’s admissions to 42 Muslim students from Kashmir, seven Hindus, and one Sikh candidate.