Mata Vaishno Devi University ‘gets government grants every year’: NC

The ruling National Conference (NC) party on Tuesday (November 25, 2025) hardened its position on the controversy surrounding the admissions to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra. It said the varsity was receiving grants from the government and “does not run entirely on the donations from devotees”. 

NC leader and legislator Tanvir Sadiq said the Jammu & Kashmir government provides grant-in-aid to the university and the medical college affiliated to it. “The varsity received ₹24 crore last year, and ₹28 crore this year. When (The Bharatiya Janata Party leader and the Leader of the Opposition in the J&K Assembly) Sunil Sharma-ji talks about the ‘sentiments’ of those who donate at the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, he conveniently ignores a key fact — the J&K government gives grant-in-aid to the university,” Mr. Sadiq said.

The documents clearly prove the institution isn’t running on donations alone, he said. “And when public money is involved, every citizen of this Union Territory has an equal right to be there, irrespective of religion or background,” Mr. Sadiq added.

A few days ago, the BJP submitted a memorandum to J&K Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha, and sought the scrapping of this year’s MBBS list, after 42 Muslim students qualified out of a total of 50 seats. The BJP also sought the L-G’s intervention to reserve all the seats at the varsity for Hindus because “it has come up over donations of Hindu devotees”.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday (November 24, 2025) again questioned the BJP’s move. “Admissions are done purely on merit and not on religion. If you want only Hindus to be selected, then it’s fine, as those selected will get admissions in other colleges. But when you said that Muslims have become radical and sectarian, then do remember this also,” the J&K Chief Minister said.

When the varsity came up, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board should have asked for a minority status, he said. “Why didn’t you give it minority status? You should have given it, but you did not. Now, if you don’t want Muslims to study in it, that is fine, sir. You declare it a minority institute. Please do it,” Mr. Abdullah said.

Mr. Abdullah warned against “exclusionary approaches”. “Such an approach could lead to social distance. If students are pushed away and later accused of being alienated or influenced, responsibility must be acknowledged. If the status is changed, those who qualified the NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test) will get chances in other places. Our youth will go to Bangladesh or Turkey, but they should not be blamed later,” the NC leader said.

J&K Waqf Board member Sohail Kazmi also objected to the BJP’s stand that only Hindus should be admitted to the university. “A sizeable chunk of Waqf Board properties have been rented out to non-Muslims in J&K. The Waqf purely runs on donations. I have visited the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine myself and offered donations. What about secular people like me? Tomorrow, will we bar Hindus from offering donations at the Ajmer Sharif?” Mr. Kazmi said.