West Bengal has marked a major milestone in its higher education landscape with the launch of its first private veterinary college. The institution has opened at a time when India faces a widening shortage of veterinary professionals despite the rapid expansion of livestock-based industries and rising demand for animal health services. The new college is expected to strengthen the state’s veterinary infrastructure and support the creation of a trained workforce over the next decade. The move is significant for farmers, industry stakeholders, and research institutions that depend heavily on specialised animal health expertise.
India’s Veterinary Talent Gap: A Growing Concern
The country continues to face a severe demand–supply imbalance in veterinary professionals. A study published in the Indian Journal of Animal Sciences reported that India needs more than one lakh fifty thousand veterinarians, while only sixty-one thousand nine hundred forty-three trained professionals are available. This reflects a shortage of nearly sixty percent.
Projections indicate the demand will surge to two lakh eighty-four thousand by 2040. This steep rise highlights the importance of expanding educational capacity, especially in states where livestock and dairy play major roles in the economy. In West Bengal, the livestock sector contributes 3.89 percent to the state’s Gross Domestic Product and about 20.34 percent to its agricultural GDP. A strong veterinary workforce is crucial for safeguarding animal health, improving productivity, supporting rural livelihoods, and strengthening the state’s growing agri-industrial network.
JISCOVAS Hooghly: New Campus to Offer B.V.Sc. & A.H. Programme
The newly inaugurated JIS College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (JISCOVAS) has begun operations on a 30-acre campus in Mogra in the Hooghly district. The announcement was made by the group’s Managing Director, Sardar Taranjit Singh.
The college is affiliated with the West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences (WBUAFS) and recognised by the Veterinary Council of India (VCI). It will offer the Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (B.V.Sc. & A.H.) programme. This is a five-and-a-half-year course that includes a one-year compulsory internship. The structure has been designed to build strong clinical skills and provide practical exposure across animal health centres, farms, and research facilities. The annual intake capacity stands at eighty students, creating a steady pool of trained graduates who can contribute to veterinary services across West Bengal.
NEET-Based Admission Requirements and Eligibility Criteria
Admission to the programme will be based on NEET qualifications, ensuring that candidates entering the field meet essential academic standards. General category applicants must secure fifty percent marks in physics, chemistry, biology, and English in the Class 12 examination. The age limit has been set between eighteen and twenty-five years, aligning with national norms for veterinary education. These criteria aim to select students with strong scientific foundations and the ability to excel in a demanding and practical undergraduate programme.
Strengthening Veterinary Capacity for the Future
The establishment of the first private veterinary college is expected to play a key role in addressing the state’s long-term talent requirements. It will support the training of job-ready professionals, improve access to veterinary services in rural and semi-urban regions, and help bridge the gap between rising livestock demands and available expertise. The coming years are likely to see a sharper focus on animal health, dairy development, and scientific research. Institutions like JISCOVAS will be central to enabling this growth and meeting the state’s workforce needs.
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