Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences

Historical Legacy of the Faculty

The present Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences carries the historical legacy of the century old Bengal Veterinary College.

When India was under the British rule, the Bengal Veterinary College was established on 10^th January, 1893 at Belgachia, Calcutta. It was the second veterinary college of its kind in undivided India under the Government of Bengal. The first one was in Lahore established in 1882 and third one in Madras in 1902. As a part of the glorious history of Bengal Veterinary College, the most relevant to mention is – The Bengal Veterinary Institution consisting of the ‘Kenneth Macleod Veterinary School’ and the ‘Sir Dinshaw Maneckjee Petit Veterinary Hospital’ has been established by the Govt. of Bengal as an institution for instruction of students of veterinary science and as a hospital for the treatment of sick and injured animals. Rai Shew Bux Bagla Bahadur, in memory of his father Bakul Ram Dayal Bagla, made a gift of 34 bighas of land as a site for the school and further subscribed Rs. 30,000 towards its erection. Sir DinshawManeckjee Petit have Rs. 25,000 towards the cost of the hospital. The foundation stone was laid by Sir Charles Alfred Elliott, KCSI (Knight Commander), Lieutenant Governor of Bengal. Initially a 3-year Diploma in Veterinary Science, named as G.V.Sc., was offered by Bengal Veterinary College. The diploma course was upgraded to B.V.Sc. degree course in the year 1957-58, and offered under the aegis of the University of Calcutta, however, the administration of the Bengal Veterinary College remained under the Directorate of Veterinary Services, Government of West Bengal. At the same time a condensed course for G.V.Sc. diploma holders was also started from the year 1961-62.

At the initial phase of 1970’s, the Bengal Veterinary College was shifted to Kalyani in the district of Nadia and the name of the college was changed to the Institute of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry under the University of Kalyani with the objective of improving veterinary education in the State. However, within a very short period, the Institute again shifted to erstwhile Bengal Veterinary College campus at Belgachia, Calcutta. In 1972, M.V.Sc. course was started initially for three disciplines viz. Veterinary Physiology & Biochemistry, Veterinary Pathology and Veterinary Gynaecology.

In 1974, a State Agricultural University was established in the name of Bidhan Chandra KrishiViswavidyalay (BCKV) at Mohanpur, Nadia in accordance with newly introduced ICAR agricultural education system in the country; and the Bengal Veterinary College was officially shifted to this university, which was emerged as a Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. However, it took about three years (in 1977-78) for shifting of the total establishment of the erstwhile Bengal veterinary College to Moahnpur. The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Faculty of Agriculture under the University of Kalyani, which was trifurcated into three departments, viz., Department of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Genetics &Breeding and Department of Animal Production & Management, was also merged with this new Veterinary Faculty under BCKV. The nomenclature of the Head of the Institute was also changed from Principal to Dean. The Departments and the courses and syllabuses were reoriented under this new system of education keeping in view the ICAR course & curriculum. The Faculty flourished 21 years under BCKV.

As per recommendation of the Working Group, the Govt. of West Bengal the West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences (WBUAFS) was established through the WBUAFS Act, 1995 (West Bengal Act VI of 1995, vide The Calcutta Gazette, Extraordinary, April 17, 1995) after being bifurcated from the BCKV; and the WBUAFS officially came into existence on 2^nd January 1995 with its headquarters at Belgachia, Kolkata. This university emerged as the 2^nd Veterinary University of its kind in India after Tamil Nadu. The Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, the largest faculty of this university, started functioning again at the erstwhile Bengal Veterinary College campus at Kolkata. The entire Faculty with its UG, PG and Ph.D. programmes started developing at the University Headquarters at Belgachia campus, with the objectives to impart education in veterinary and animal sciences, to further advancement of learning and to conduct research in such sciences, and to undertake the development of such sciences and the extension thereof to the rural people in co-operation with the concerned department of the Govt. of West Bengal. Subsequently the UG programme (B.V.Sc.&A.H.) was reoriented in the Faculty as per Veterinary Council of India (VCI); and PG (M.V.Sc.) and Ph.D. programmes were reoriented as per ICAR-BSMA courses & curricula. Afterwards the entire UG programme was shifted to the Mohanpur Campus in August 2014, and the massive renovation work was undertaken in this campus to cater the veterinary education as per the Minimum Standards of Veterinary Education (MSVE) Regulations of the VCI, which includes creation of new departments like Veterinary Clinical Complex (VCC) and Livestock Farm Complex (LFC), Central Library unit, Medical unit, Sports complex, Students’ hostel etc. The PG and Ph.D. programme has been continuing mostly at the Belgachia campus. Recently from the academic session 2016-17 a Diploma in Veterinary Pharmacy course was also introduced under this Faculty at Mohanpur campus, which is duly approved by the Govt. of West Bengal. The Faculty and its UG programme (B.V.Sc.&A.H.) is accredited by the VCI, New Delhi, and the Faculty with its PG and Ph.D. programmes are accredited by the ICAR, New Delhi. It is pertinent to mention here that this Faculty is the only institute in the State of West Bengal which is offering the UG, PG and Ph.D. courses in Veterinary & Animal Sciences.