Srinagar, October 14: In a significant development favouring Kashmir Medical College and Hospital (KMCH), the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has issued firm directions to the National Medical Commission (NMC) to expedite the physical inspection of the institution and submit its compliance report by October 21, 2026.
The proceedings have brought renewed urgency to the long-pending matter concerning the inclusion of 150 MBBS seats of Kashmir Medical College in the 2026–27 seat matrix, with the institution pressing for immediate regulatory action to ensure that its inaugural academic session is not jeopardised by further delays.
Hearing the matter, Justice Mohd Yousuf Wani directed the NMC and its Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) to make every effort to conduct the inspection early in the week and submit the requisite compliance report within the stipulated deadline.
Kashmir Medical College has maintained that repeated administrative delays, despite substantial compliance with statutory requirements, cannot be allowed to deprive the institution of its legitimate opportunity to commence admissions or deny 150 aspiring medical students an academic year.
The dispute originated from MARB’s June 9, 2026 decision rejecting the college’s application on the grounds that its infrastructure remained under development. The institution challenged the decision, arguing that it had been taken without a physical inspection or the identification of specific deficiencies that could have been addressed in accordance with the applicable statutory framework.
On August 24, 2026, the Second Appellate Authority under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare remanded the matter to the NMC for reconsideration, observing that the college had substantially complied with statutory requirements, including infrastructure availability and procurement of necessary certificates.
