INTRODUCE VETERINARY ECONOMICS AND RETIRED GUEST FACULTY IN VETERINARY UNIVERSITIES :

It is heartening that many state governments have established separate university of veterinary science which cadres the need not only of animal sciences but also Dairy, fishery and wild life. Hopefully, other states will follow the suit and soon all the states of the country will  have their own veterinary universities.

This opening of separate universities have shouldered special responsibilities to the veterinary profession  to work their best in improving national GDP from animal industry which is growing at faster rate than that of agriculture . It is need of the time that a new leadership should come forward  from these universities  who can inculcate a  new thinking  to its   faculty for new ideas and their implementation. I am submitting two ideas that may help in changing the present scenario .

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL ECONOMICS : The economical aspects of animal industry , in olden days , was an unthinkable idea and veterinarians are not taught  this subject  in erstwhile state veterinary colleges. When they came in newly formed Agriculture Universities , a little attention was began to pay on veterinary extension but veterinary economics remained neglected although Agriculture universities were having separate department of Agriculture economics that was confined studying agriculture practices and some times included dairy or poultry industry - particularly when  claiming agriculture contribution in national GDP. However, this economic business remained a domain of Agriculture teachers with no interest by the veterinarians.

With formation of Veterinary Council of India (VCI) and paying attention on veterinary  education by it, a course of livestock economics ,marketing and business management (VAE 321)OF 3 credit has been introduced in VI semester and a course of 1 credit  about livestock entrepreneurship (VAE 511) has been introduced in IX semester (Pl see The Gazette of India : Extraordinary Part III Sec 4 Page 156 ) . My inquiry on the subject has led to the  following facts :

·         Presently ,both courses are taught in newly formed department of Veterinary  Extension  and a teacher of veterinary extension is teaching these courses.

·         The course out line of both courses is purely on economical topics including WTO ,GATT, ledger ,labor management etc  to which the Veterinary extension teacher is not having mastery  and can not justify teaching.

·         It will be prudent to separate this department as Veterinary economics so that more and more work may be done on this subject ,exploring different  and new aspects of veterinary economics.

·         As we do not have presently subject matter specialists on Veterinary economics, it is necessary to appoint pure economists on the job who will help in developing veterinary economics in collaboration with veterinarians. It may be pointed out that in the beginning of  higher veterinary education in India ,persons were appointed from pure science subjects in Nutrition, Physiology, Parasitology  as the country was not having veterinary specialists in these subjects.

MISSING LINK : It is surprising to note in VAE 511 course (which is for developing entrepreneurship among veterinarians ) about no mention on opening of a private veterinary hospital or a private veterinary diagnostic laboratory-though this can be done only by a qualified veterinarian , unlike to starting dairy or poultry  . With shortage of veterinary services in rural areas, certainly this is a new field to which our veterinarians should be encouraged.

POST GRADUATE COURSES IN VETY ECONOMICS :If  we wish to take veterinary profession to new highs, its imperative to pay attention on economic aspects  of our animal industry. This is the time to evaluate not only present value of our animal products but to introduce new animal products which will greatly help in increasing the income of animal producers. For attaining these goals , it is important to start specialized post graduate courses in veterinary economics , who will be able to analyse the intriguing problems in more sophisticated ways.
LIVESTOCK ECONOMICS & STATISTICS  AT IVRI : In response to my Email, Dr MP Yadav informed that he as the Director of IVRI   initiated to establish a separate division of livestock economics where scientists worked on economical aspects of Mastitis. During my visit to IVRI on 10th Dec 2013 I met Dr Dwaipayan Bardhan,Senior Scientist of the division who provided me related information and that the division is providing presently only MVSc in livestock economics. National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal is also  having separate department of Livestock Economics and is providing MVSc and Ph.D. in the subject. Perhaps this is only Madras Veterinary College  which is having three separate departments - Department of  Extension Education , Dept of Statistics and Dept of Animal Husbandry Economics, And it is providing both MVSc and Ph.D. in Animal husbandry economics. We are not sure if post-graduates in Veterinary economics are eligible to compete in Indian Economic services of Government of India. Nevertheless, it is clear from the gathered information how this important subject is being neglected by other Veterinary Universities .
ANIMAL VALUE ADDITIONS : As stated above,the veterinary economics should not confine itself in studying and advancing general veterinary practices but should research for value addition of our animal  products which will  benefit  both producers and consumers.

With increase in our economic growth, a new consumer group is emerging with money power who is ready to spend higher  amounts if his requirements are fulfilled . Thus , there is need to produce organic milk which should be free from any pesticide and antibiotics ; milk of different animal species , camel , mare, goat , yolk etc  should be worked out pointing out their advantages. There is also opportunities to produce meat of different animals and birds and their crosses for better tastes .There is the need to introduce new breeds and species of animals and birds which will provide different tastes and may be supplied to elite groups.

PET ANIMALS : A big industry is awaiting as pet animal industry as man is developing many social problems. So far , dogs of different varieties are bred but some unique dogs may be produced with regards to their size and shape which will be pride of the owner and ….Not only dogs, other animals may also be  worked out.

Both these fields have high potentials of exporting and importing different animal products. It will be more advantageous if our veterinarians, interested in above fields, start reading a financial news paper also , beside their technical literature.

RETIRED GUEST FACULTY : A paradoxical  situation is existing in India where our scientists who have contributed a lot to the science and fetched many  national awards  are retired as soon as they attain 62 years of age (this may happen to some after finishing the work of Scientist Emeritus (2-3 years),offered by ICAR,CSIR,ICMR,UGC ) though they are healthy, hearty and willing to advance the science . After retirement these scientists ,though willing, do not have any one to guide or to carry over their research ideas as they do not have any science laboratory in their possession thus fails to contribute their mite in advancing science fortunes in the country . This condition is just opposite to the lawyers or private physicians who continue to carry over their profession till their will and health permits.

This is the right time we should give a serious thought to rectify this absurd situation. Under present conditions, does it not mean that we are denying  to utilize the man power of most experienced and talented  retired scientists –particularly when there is void of talented scientists in the country.

A simple solution of the present situation may be that our newly formed Veterinary Universities should come forward and  provide  general facilities and engage these retired scientists  as their guest faculties.  These retired scientists may be provided facilities to write monographs, books, status reports ,discussion papers  and also laboratory facilities where they may carry over their own research or may guide post-graduate students. The details may be worked out by the university keeping in view the local conditions.

My this idea is not unusual .neither that it has not been followed by any institute. I still remember that my Professor of Parasitology late Dr SC Dutt, as per his desire, was provided research facilities  in Punjab Agriculture University ,after his retirement in February 1979 ( though destiny snatched him  soon  in August,1979 ). Dr RC Mahajan, Professor of Parasitology, has remained  Emeritus Professor  for many years ,after retirement , at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh.

The only need is to spread the idea in other universities also , so that talents of these experienced retired scientists may fully be utilized by the country.