Public Money, Shrine Donations, and the Politics of Merit in Jammu & Kashmir By: Javid Amin | 25 November 2025 A Controversy at the Crossroads of Religion, Education, and Governance The debate around the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) has grown into one of the most politically charged education-related controversies in Jammu & Kashmir in recent years. What began as a dispute about MBBS admissions quickly evolved into a larger conversation about public funding, shrine donations, constitutional guarantees, and religious identity. At the center of this…
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From PSA Dossier to NEET Triumph: How Kashmir’s Zubair Bhat Transformed His Fate & Is Poised to Save Lives
Prologue: A Tale Too Remarkable to Ignore Late spring in Kashmir usually brings stories of blooming almond orchards and the first trickle of tourists. But in June 2025, the valley buzzed with a different narrative: the staggering rise of Zubair Bhat, a shy yet determined youth from Khumrail village, who went from almost being booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA) to securing a qualifying score in the National Eligibility‑cum‑Entrance Test (NEET). His journey is not merely academic triumph; it’s a testament to how compassionate intervention can change the arc of a…
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