Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar, one of the oldest medical colleges in North India and first one in the Jammu & Kashmir (J & K) State is currently in its 54th  year of birth. It has a leading role in contributing major portion of healthcare manpower to the J & K State. It has been contributing towards producing many renowned and leading clinicians not just in Sub-Continent, but all over the world since its inception.

GMC was established in year 1959 with few room dispensary at banks of Jhelum near current LD hospital .GMC has emerged as premier medical college of the country. Apart from nurturing Medical professional over after few decades.GMC is providing a healing touch to majority of population of state. It was in 1959 that Col. G V S Murthy took charge as the first Principal of GMC. Anatomy and physiology were the first departments started in the dispensary located near current LD hospital. Two years later, college was shifted to the present day location at Karan Nagar. On 25th of august 1961 GMC was formally inaugurated by then Prime Ministry of the State of Jammu and Kashmir Mr. Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad.

Soon after inauguration a batch of 50 undergraduated students where admitted in the college

In 1966 PG Courses in Pre-Clinical subjects where started it was in 1968 Post graduation course in clinical subjects got under way in GMC. With time govt. Medical college started training of Para-Medical staff like Radio-graphers, Lab-Technicians Lab-Attendants , Pharmacist , Nurses and sanitary Inspectors.In 1970`s and 1980`s are considered to be the golden period in the history of Govt. medical college. At this time GMC Srinagar had students not only from various stages of India but from foreign countries as well.

SMHS Hospital was now a major teaching institute imparting undergraduate and post graduate Medical Training in all allied specialties of Medicine, Surgery, and Gynecology. At this point Medical services became more specialized and differentiated. It was time for expansion. One of the major achievements of this expansion was separate 100 Bed Maternity Hospital at Lal Mandi.

 With increasing population a hundred Bed Maternity Hospital was unable to cater to the rush of the patients. On the orders of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah The hospital was further expanded to the present day 500 Bed Lal-Ded Maternity Hospital.

 A separate Children Hospital was commissioned arrest by fruit Mandi. Likewise Bone & Joint Hospital was also established for treatment of Orthopedic alignment. However the SMHS became the main focus a building started coming up in its vicinity. It was the period when GMC used to be a top 10 Medical Colleges in country.

 Currently there are 08 associated hospital of GMC – SMHS. Children Hospital Bemina , Lal Ded Maternity Hospital, Psychiatric Diseases Hospital, Chest Diseases Hospital , Boone and Joint Barzulla , Super Speciality Hopital Shireen bagh and Kashmir Nursing Home. These hospitals have bed strength of  more than 2,150. On an average more than 100 patients stay in these hospital as in-patients including the floor patients. About 5-7 thousand people through the O.P departments daily for medical relief.

 The hospitals are adequately equipped with nine surgical theatres and delivery rooms. There are on the whole 22 departments functioning. Although the departments are adequately equipped there remains much to be done to upgrade them to the changing trends in Medical care. The bed strength at SMHS hospital was 750 in 1959 and over the years it has been increased to the present strength of 1038. About 2000-3000 people from the O.P department daily found Medical relief.

 Besides these hospitals it also has an Ancillary Medical Training School where diploma courses for B.Sc Nursing  is taught. The faculty of the Govt. Medical College, teaches in 22 departments of the College and runs 07 hospitals in addition to Chittranjan Mobile Hospital Lectures, Practicals, demonstrations and clinics are well planned and conducted round the year. Students in the clinical terms derive experience from the wards of the affiliated college.

 The college has a well stocked library with over 18000 books. It subscribes to more than 270 international and national journal and has over 14000 bound journals. The Library has SLIM software computerised information management system which allows immediate tracing and retrieval of any publication in library

 Over 4000 doctors have graduated from GMC till now.Around a 1000 students have post-graduated from this prestigeous institution. Doctors, Surgeons, and Medical Technologists produced by the GMC have earned world-wide recognition and renown not only for their excellence but also for their commitment and service.

 The alumni of GMC has made it famous all over the world. Though  these luminaries have made the past glorious. It s destiny is in hands of those who certainly have made the past glorious. Its description is in hands of these who certainly have the ability and zeal to keep the torch burning. Various new projects are being executed and many are being executed and many are in the pipeline.