Protests have erupted over the first MBBS admission list for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence, with Hindu groups demanding the list be canceled. They cite a high number of Muslim candidates as the reason for their discontent. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah deemed the protest unwarranted, emphasizing that admissions were merit-based and not tied to religion, upholding the constitutional principle of secularism. The institute, established in 2024, bases admissions on NEET-UG merit.