The Jammu and Kashmir administration has recently stripped the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) of its autonomous status.
This move has been decried by opposition parties like the National Conference and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), who have criticized the decision as undermining the institute’s autonomy and ability to function effectively.
SKIMS is the premier tertiary care health institute in the Kashmir valley and has played a crucial role in providing medical services to the region.
The institute offers various medical programs including PG Diploma, MD, B.Sc, UG Diploma, DM, M.Ch, MBBS, and MS.
The SKIMS Medical College, which was founded in 1989 as the Jhelum Valley Medical College and later taken over by the government in 1998, is also an important part of the SKIMS ecosystem.
The medical college is situated in Bemina, Srinagar and is easily accessible from different parts of the Kashmir valley.
While the reasons behind the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s decision to strip SKIMS of its autonomous status are not entirely clear, this move has raised concerns among the medical community and the general public about the potential impact on the institute’s functioning and ability to maintain its high standards of medical education and healthcare delivery.
