The Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bidar, may face the ire of the Veterinary Council of India (VCI) for having allowed admissions to the colleges whose bachelor courses did not have statutory recognition.
The VCI, a body under the Ministry of Agriculture, has expressed ‘’serious concern’’ over the fact that the university continued to allow admissions to the Bachelor in Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry courses in the veterinary colleges in Shimoga and Hassan, started in 2006 and 2007 respectively, which do not have the body’s recognition owing to academic and infrastructural shortcomings.
‘’The university has allowed admissions against our recommendations,’’ VCI secretary Dr Anup Bhaumik told Express. ‘’We are seriously working on this issue. Action against the university is possible as there is provision for the council to do so,’’ he said.
It was only last month that the Ministry of Agriculture permitted the state government to allow admissions to the BVSc and AH courses only for the year 2013-14. This came amid a prolonged strike by existing students who were concerned that they will be unable to start their careers as registered practitioners without their degrees having VCI recognition.
‘’The decision to grant the conditional permission was that of the central government and we cannot comment on it. But when we take action against the university depends on the council itself’’, Dr Bhaumik said.
In a letter to the university registrar in April this year, Dr Bhaumik had charged the university with ‘’compromising on the quality of education at its existing colleges in Bangalore and Bidar by deputing faculty to the college in Shimoga and continuing with admission of students in such grossly deficient colleges.’’ He had even warned the university of withdrawal of recognition to the BVSc and AH courses offered under the university.
KVAFSU Vice-Chancellor C Renuka Prasad said the state government should have obtained the required nod before starting academic programmes in the new colleges. ‘’The new colleges were started to benefit students and farmers. But the university was only following the government’s directions. The problem of recognition was brought to the notice of both government and the VCI, but the government insisted’’, he said.
Clarifying that the conditional admission was not recognition in itself, the VC said it was up to the government to ensure the colleges get recognition. “We have submitted a detailed proposal on financial and manpower requirements to the government. We have even formed a committee under former VC R N Sreenivas Gowda to suggest increase in intake for the BVSc and AH courses,’’ Prasad said.