Dhaka, Jan. 15 -- India has shut down a medical college in Indian-administered Kashmir following protests by right-wing Hindu groups over the admission of a large number of Muslim students into its first batch.

The National Medical Commission (NMC), the federal regulator for medical education, revoked the recognition of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical Institute (SMVDMI) on January 6. The institute is located in Reasi district, a mountainous region overlooking the Pir Panjal range that separates Jammu from the Kashmir Valley.

Of the 50 students admitted to the five-year MBBS programme in November, 42 were Muslims, mostly from Kashmir, seven were Hindus and one was a Sikh. This was the first MBBS batch launched by the private college, whic...