Members of the Karnataka Veterinary Graduates’ Association and students of Veterinary College, Bidar, have objected to the State government’s plans to open new veterinary colleges in Koppal and Shira, saying there was no point in increasing the number of graduates when there were no jobs available for qualified veterinarians at present.
They also asked the government to create infrastructure in existing colleges and improve the quality of education being provided, instead of planning for new colleges.
Some of the students have been protesting outside the university campus in Nandi Nagar in Bidar since Thursday. The protesters include graduates and postgraduates who are still unemployed. They held that while the number of government jobs has drastically reduced, the number of qualified veterinarians has increased ans is more than the number of jobs in the private sector.
“The four veterinary colleges in Bidar, Bengaluru, Hassan and Shivamogga produce 300 veterinary graduates every year. In the next two years, three more colleges will start functioning in Gadag, Athani and Puttur. These will further increase the outflow of graduates. What is the need to open two more colleges when there are no proper opportunities for those who have already graduated,” the protesters stated in a letter to the government.
The lack of amenities had forced the colleges in Shivamogga and Hassan to lose the Veterinary Council of India’s recognition twice in the last five years. Even today, there are no proper facilities in these colleges. The government should also post veterinarians at village-level veterinary hospitals and provide them with all facilities, they said.
Nilesh Topare, Prashant Doddamani, David, Sagar Pandav and others, were among those who submitted the memorandum to the government.
