JKSA writes to Sakina Itoo, Minister for Health and Medical Education on arbitrary increase of NRI/Other-State Seats at SKUAST-K

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Wednesday has written to Sakina Itoo, Minister for Health and Medical Education, seeking her urgent intervention against what it described as the arbitrary and unjustified increase in NRI and Other-State quota seats at SKUAST-Kashmir for the academic session 2025–26.

In a statement, National President Ummar Jamal expressed concern that while the University has cited “overwhelming response and public demand” as justification for the enhancement, the increase has been applied selectively to NRI and Other-State categories, which are based on higher fee payments and Class 12th marks.

Meanwhile, Open Merit (OM), Self-Finance (SF), and other reserved categories, where admissions are strictly through the University Entrance Test (UET), have been ignored.Jamal emphasized that if the genuine intention was to provide opportunities to deserving candidates, preference should have been given to OM, SF, and other reserved categories where selection is purely on merit. Instead, seats have been increased in categories where merit plays no role, raising serious questions about fairness and transparency.

He further highlighted the situation at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry (FVSc), SKUAST-K, noting that the intake has already swelled to nearly 160–190 students, while laboratories and clinical facilities were originally designed for just 60–70. He pointed out that the limited clinical case flow in the teaching hospital leaves students with minimal hands-on exposure.

Overcrowded laboratories and rushed clinical rotations, he warned, compromise the quality of training and risk reducing veterinary education to theory without adequate practice.Syed Adnan Hashmi, Media Coordinator of the Association, stated that seat increases can only be justified after expanding laboratories, hospital services, and infrastructure.

In the present circumstances, he argued, admitting additional students will only worsen overcrowding and further dilute the standards of veterinary education.Adnan urged the Minister to reverse the unjustified increase in NRI and Other-State quota seats and to ensure that any seat expansion, if unavoidable, is first applied to OM, SF, and other reserved categories strictly on the basis of UET merit.

He also called upon SKUAST-K to prioritize strengthening laboratories, classrooms, hospital facilities, and clinical case availability before considering any further intake. “Students are not against seat enhancement, but against arbitrary decisions that compromise quality and merit,” Adnan added.