The Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) plans to start 10 new courses in 2013-14. Six of them will be started on the Mannuthy campus and the rest, on the Pookkode campus
The 2013-14 budget of the university, presented by Vice Chancellor B. Ashok in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, highlighted academic initiatives.
The courses to be started on the Mannuthy campus are Master of Veterinary Science in Animal Biotechnology (10 seats), Master of Science in Animal Biotechnology (10 seats), Master of Science in Animal Science (10 seats), Postgraduate (PG) Diploma in Livestock Agriculture Entrepreneurship and Food Security Management (online course: 200 seats), PG Certificate Course in Farm Journalism (online: 100 seats), and Certificate Course in Animal handling ( 32 seats).
The courses to be started on the Pookode campus are Postgraduate Diploma in Office Management (30 seats), Diploma in Poultry Production (30 seats), and Diploma in Dairy Science (30 seats). A postgraduate course in Conservation Medicine is expected to be launched on the Pookode campus in 2013-14.
A postgraduate Certificate Programme in Laboratory Animal Medicine will be started in 2013-14 in collaboration with the University of Guelf, Canada. A master’s course in Conservation Medicine is being developed in association with the University of Edinburgh. A post-graduate programme in Ethno Pharmacology, with focus on Ayurvedic medicine, is being formulated in collaboration with the Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasala.
Regional centres
The university plans to open up regional centres in Kannur, Kozhikode, and Thiruvananthapuram for the benefit of farmers.
Dr. Ashok said the number of students attending various programmes in the university had grown by 65 per cent over three years (from 687 in 2009-10 to 1,053 in 2012-13).
He stated that the university’s plan allocation to boost education, research, and extension activities had grown from Rs.15 crore in 2011-12 to Rs.20 crore in 2012-13 and to Rs.26 crore in 2013-14.
He said that efforts were on to meaningfully utilise an assistance of Rs.144.48 crore from the Union government and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
The KVASU has paid its employees their dues with the support of the State government, he added. There has been a growth in raising internal resources from Rs.5.96 crore in 2011-12 to Rs.9 crore in 2012-13.
He said the KVASU was chalking out plans for the overall development of Wayanad district under the Wayanad 2030 project. A draft of report is ready for release.
