GMC Udhampur medical students forced to study without hostel; AIMSA seeks Health Minister Sakina Itoo's intervention

Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], February 21 (ANI): The All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) Jammu and Kashmir expresses serious concern over the alarming and unacceptable living and academic conditions faced by medical students at Government Medical College (GMC) Udhampur, according to All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA).
Despite being a newly established institution, the college still lacks a functional hostel campus and basic essential facilities, severely affecting students' health, safety, and academic performance.
According to AIMSA J&K President Mohammad Momin Khan, students are being forced to reside in rented accommodations far from the campus, often in unsafe and unhygienic conditions. Basic amenities such as clean drinking water, proper sanitation, secure accommodation, study facilities, and reliable transportation remain grossly inadequate, making daily life extremely difficult for future doctors.
Due to poor hygiene conditions and the absence of proper washrooms and sanitation infrastructure, many students are falling ill, and cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs) among female students have become a serious and recurring concern. This represents a grave violation of students' right to a safe and healthy living environment and reflects systemic neglect.
Medical students are the backbone of the healthcare system, and forcing them to study and live under such conditions is unjust and dangerous for their physical and mental well-being. AIMSA urgently appeals to Hon'ble Health Minister Sakina Itoo and the Health Department to take immediate and concrete steps to establish a proper hostel campus, ensure basic facilities, and safeguard the dignity, safety, and health of medical students at GMC Udhampur.
Earlier, on November 15, Minister Sakina Itoo visited some families who lost their loved ones in yesterday's accidental explosion at Nowgam Police Station to offer condolences. She later visited the hospital to inquire about the injured and assured them that the Government stands firmly with the affected families in this hour of grief.
As a mark of solidarity and immediate succour, the Government has announced ex-gratia relief from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund at ₹10 lakh for each deceased and ₹1 lakh for those severely injured. (ANI)