A Career in Veterinary in India

I absolutely adore animals, do you? I want to attend to and aid every animal who is in pain, don’t you? Have you ever reckoned over the principle of how the production of dairy, meat, and further relevant products are regulated without weakening and distressing the reproduction of animals involved? Did you even know that people governing such activities earn a good amount of money? If yes, then this article is going to be the complete guide on how you can guide your passion of love for animals and carry it in the direction of propelling a vocation.

What is Veterinary?

Veterinary refers to the practice of prevention, cure, or alleviation of diseases and injury in animals and especially in domestic animals. It is one of the major fields of medicinal activities. The people involved in the profession are known as veterinarians. Although it seems a small-scale sector, it is one of the largest and prominent domains. Some of its specialized fields are anesthesiology, neurology, oncology, cardiology, ophthalmology, animal behavior, and so on and so forth.

Just like the human civilization, animals too possess production and habilitation cycle. The regulation and maintenance of animal activities and health conditions are overlooked by the people working at different levels in the veterinary sector. There are always some positive as well as negative sides in every job. Let us discuss some of them.

Pros

• There is nothing better than working in a domain that stands for one’s passion and fondness and animal lovers shall ask for nothing more.
• One specializes in dealing with a variety of animals.
• The prospect of self-employment.
• Satisfactory income and social status.
• Job satisfaction.

Cons

• Late working hours.
• High risk of infection and injuries due to the fact that sick or injured animals are not that easy to tackle.
• At times the stress can be high and some tasks may require a lot of physical endeavors.
• The work usually subsists in rural areas where one may not be able to get access to certain facilities.

Every profession will amass something that may not be preferred by a lot of people. Regardless of the weight of the demerits, many people attain job satisfaction if they direct their zeal towards the merits which shall ultimately lead to the pros being overpowered.

Career Options in Veterinary

The veterinary field incorporates a lot of career options for the hopefuls in several crucial provinces in India. The major areas where one can specialize after graduating as a veterinarian are hospitals, veterinary clinics, sanctuaries, pharmaceuticals, veterinary training, institutions, animal food companies, animal welfare societies, dairy research institutes, animal farms, research companies, and so on and so forth. There are enormous employment alternatives that can be embraced by skilled and educated individuals in the veterinary sector and some of the prominent ones are enumerated below.

1. Veterinary Physician:

A physician or a doctor is a specialist, who diagnoses and treats the patients by providing proper medication and appropriate treatment, and in the case of a veterinary physician, the patients are not humans but animals. Veterinary doctors can specialize in areas like cardiology, ophthalmology, eyes, diseases, and so on. A veterinarian is no less than god for the animals as he/she treats the patients without knowing from their patients the cause or spot of pain.

This profession is a challenging one so the payment should compensate for the challenges. Therefore, the salary of a veterinary physician varies between Rs.5-6 lakhs per year at the initial stage and it may increase with the increment in time and experience.

2. Veterinary Surgeon:

A veterinary surgeon is an expert in dealing with the surgeries of animals be it, heart, eyes, or any other parts. They are responsible for the successful completion of surgeries and also the recovery of animals after the reproduction process.

The surgeons are paid an amount equivalent to that of a physician and they get somewhere near Rs.5 lakh per annum based on the region of their expertise.

3. Veterinary Assistant:  

The job of an assistant in any domain is to assist the tasks of his/her, superior. They are responsible for arranging and organizing the schedule, meetings, surgeries of the veterinarian and they also take equal participation in the process.

Veterinary assistants are paid an average amount of Rs.15,000-Rs.30,000 per month at the initial stage.

4. Veterinary Pharmacologist:

A pharmacologist is an individual who is a registered and legitimate practitioner of selling medicinal drugs. Their responsibility is to ensure timely availability of medicines in the rural as well as remote areas for the development of the poultry farms as well as the animal prosperity of the region. This is more or less similar to the profession of a businessman and one can earn huge revenue with proper management and revenue-generating strategies.

At the preliminary stage, one may earn up to Rs.10,000-Rs.15,000 per month.

5. Veterinary Technologist& Technician:

The work of a technologist or technician is not directly linked with veterinary operations. However, their job plays a very crucial role in the development of animal farming and rearing. The technological machines or equipment evolved for the various production activities in the veterinary sector are formulated by the technologists and technicians. In various food processing companies, these individuals are in high demand.

A technologist can earn up to Rs.20,000-Rs.30,000 approximately in the preliminary years of his/her profession.

6. Veterinary Researcher:

Research programs are prevalent in almost all professional fields. The evolution of packed food for later consumption and many more things are a result of proper research and development of various possibilities. There are many research institutions and companies which hire veterinary experts for research and development in their production process as well as to reap higher benefits.

A veterinary research expert can earn up to Rs.20,000-Rs.30,000 per month.

7. Animal Inspector:

By entering the civil services exams, one can open doors for the opportunity to become an animal inspector. This is a job with greater responsibility. The animal inspectors are hired for various wildlife welfare services in the forests services and Indian army corps. The endangered species and the animal protection acts are to be protected by the animal inspector. They also work in food processing units, where ensuring the food quality is of prior importance.

An animal inspector can earn up to Rs.30,000-Rs.40,000 per month and it can rise with the increment in the job status.

8. Animal Care and Service Worker:

Animal care and service workers are usually hired in the various zoo and sanctuaries for the protection and management of the animals present at the zoo and sanctuaries. The proper availability of good food and welfare of the animals lies upon the shoulders of the animal care and service worker.

Animal care and social worker earns up to an average of Rs.10,000-Rs.15,000 per month.

9. Animal Nutritionist:

As the mane suggests, an animal nutritionist is a professional who looks after the nutrients intake of the animals. It can be a poultry farm, dairy farm, or any other veterinary clinic or hospital. Their main specification lies in the food and variety of species absorbing various kinds of nourishment.

An animal nutritionist receives somewhere near Rs.15,000-Rs.20,000 per month at the initial stage.

Eligibility and Educational Qualification

The prerequisites for the individuals to carry on higher education in Veterinary are indistinguishable from those of any medical field. However, higher education in this career should always have the basic criteria of having tenderness toward all sorts of animals. If one lacks affection, the job may not be a fruitful one. The aspirant needs to fulfil the following criteria to be eligible for appearing in the NEET-UG exams which have been made compulsory for students to get admissions in the medical colleges in India.

• 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English/Mathematics as compulsory subjects
• Minimum 45%-50% marks
• Minimum age limit 17 years as of 31 December of the year of admission for all categories
• Maximum age is up to the competitors as there is no limit

After meeting all the above-mentioned standards the aspirant becomes eligible for appearing in the NEET-UG i.e. the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Under Graduates. This exam is conducted by the NTA which is the National Testing Agency with the purpose of selecting the best candidates amongst all.

The registration fees involved in applying for the NEET-UG exams can be between Rs.700 to Rs.1400.

NEET-UG Exams include

• Physics [ 45 questions ]
• Chemistry [ 45 questions ]
• Botany [ 45 questions ]
• Zoology [ 45 questions ]
• Total questions 180
• 4 marks for one correct answer
• 1 mark is deducted for each wrong answer
• Total marks 720

The marks secured in this entrance exam plays a vital role in concluding which college one can opt for. For amassing seats in the best medical college, one should secure marks somewhere in the range of 500 above. With a state-level quota, a candidate can be applicable even with a score between 400-450 in NEET. After clearing the entrance exam, the candidate will have a clear view of which college to choose from the marks obtained. Clearing this exam may take more than a year or so in many cases.

The successful clearance of this exam will enable one to opt for any undergraduate Veterinary Courses available in India. The most prominent course being the Bachelor of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry i.e. B.V.Sc. & A.H.This course is a five-year course. One can opt for any other course based on their interest and the options available.

Educational Expenses

The educational expenses are always a matter of concern for maximum individuals. The fee structure usually differs a lot based on the institutions, their associations, and the courses. The average fees that one might need to pay for courses in the veterinary are:

• Government College Rs.20,000-Rs. 1,00,000 per year approximately and the total expense on average for five years may be nearly Rs.5 lakhs.
• Private Institutions Rs.50,000-Rs.1,40,000 per year which may amount to Rs.7 lakhs for the total course duration of 5 years.

Various Courses

The field of veterinary includes activities involving the welfare of animals and harmony between humans and animal civilization. There is a vast range of courses available in various institutions befitting the requirements and aspirations of the candidates. The hierarchy protocol remains the same in each sphere of education. The aspirants need to proceed to higher levels of services by earning a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctoral, and diploma degree respectively. The bachelor’s course duration is usually 5 years whereas the master’s or diploma courses may be completed within a span of 2 years. The most prevalent courses in the field of veterinary are enumerated below.

Bachelors Courses :

• Bachelorof Veterinary Science in Veterinary Medicine, Public Health and Hygiene
• Bachelor of Veterinary Science in Veterinary Surgery and Radiology
• Bachelor of Veterinary Science in Animal Production and Management
• Bachelor of Veterinary Science in Animal Genetics and Breeding
• Bachelor of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry

Masters Courses :

• Master of Veterinary Science
• Master of Veterinary Science in Veterinary Medicine
• Master of Veterinary Science in Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Master of Veterinary Science in Veterinary Surgery and Radiology

Doctoral Courses :

• Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Medicine
• Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Pathology
• Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology

Certificate Course :

• Certificate in Capacity Building for Livestock Technology Enterprises

Top Institutions

In India, there are approximately forty-seven veterinary colleges at present that have been actively involved in shaping the future of thousands of aspirants from all across the country. This profession has its roots spread in many sectors on a large scale. There are quite many government colleges as compared to private colleges. The approximate number of private colleges is only five when it comes to providing veterinary courses. Every student wishes to enroll themselves into such institutions where the goodwill resides. Some of the well-known institutions providing veterinary courses are mentioned below.

• College of Veterinary Science, Guwahati
• College of Veterinary Science, Tirupati
• Bombay Veterinary College, Mumbai
• College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Bhubaneshwar
• College of Veterinary Science, Ludhiana
• Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary andAnimal Sciences, Puducherry
• Faculty of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Kolkata
• College of Veterinary Science&Animal Husbandry, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
• Arawali Veterinary College, Sikar, Rajasthan
• College of Veterinary Science, Hyderabad
• College of Veterinary Sciences, Korutla, Telangana
• Madras Veterinary College, Chennai
• Veterinary College & Research Institution, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu
• College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Bikaner, Rajasthan
• College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Uttarakhand
• College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Trissur, Kerala
• College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Bhubaneshwar
• Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Himachal Pradesh
• College of Veterinary Sciences, Hisar, Haryana
• Veterinary College Hebbal, Bangalore
• College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Gujarat

Career Scope

Around six lakhs of pets are adopted each year consisting of dogs, cats, fish, birds, etc. with a total estimate indicating 19 million pets in India itself. An increase is seen in the poultry population with approximately3819 a thousand metric tons of meat being consumed in the year 2019. This industry has seen tremendous growth in the last five years due to the progression in the rural and agricultural activities. There are several new projects in this domain and the advancement in this field includes animal stem cell engineering, animal biochemistry, animal cloning, and transgenic animals, biotechnology, aquatic biotechnology, and so on. The upswing in the poultry farms and pet animals activities will give rise to a series of employment opportunities related to veterinary services and with proper education, understanding, and awareness one can establish a successful career in this domain.