Role of Indian Veterinary Association (IVA) in the formation of the VCI

Pashu Sandesh, 25th July 2020

Dr.S.Abdul Rahman,

Former Secretary Indian Veterinary Association

Former Dean, Veterinary College, Bangalore

Executive Director, Commonwealth Veterinary Association

Ever since its formation in 1924, the Indian Veterinary Association (IVA) has been at the forefront in safeguarding the profession and has been the voice of the Veterinarians spearheading various issues for the welfare of the profession.

One such issue was the formation of the Veterinary Council of India. Eminent veterinarians of the ’50s and 60’s such as Dr.Lakshmi Sahai, Dr Menon, Dr.C.Krishna Rao who served as Animal Husbandry Commissioners felt that Veterinary profession could not progress under the yoke of Agriculture and was striving for independence. Stalwarts of the profession such as Dr.Vinayaka

Mudaliar Dr.C.M.Singh, Dr.V.S.Alwar the then Secretary of the IVA took the lead to represent to the Government of India to have a separate council for the Veterinarians similar to the Indian Medical Council. 

Various memorandums were prepared by IVA and at every IVA general body meeting, the issue was raised time and again. Through the member associations of IVA, various memorandums were prepared and submitted to the government.

It was in the year 1971 that the Government of India, finally acceded to the request of IVA and constituted a drafting committee to draft the Bill. IVA played a major role in the drafting of the Bill as the committee constituted was made up of the President and Secretary of IVA along with other members. The Drafting Committee submitted the draft Bill and after a long delay of 4 years, it was introduced in the Rajya Sabha during 1981. 

The Bill was then referred to a Joint Select Committee who invited memoranda from various heads of Depts of AH, veterinary institutes etc. However, the Bill that was introduced in the Rajya Sabha was diluted and many sections of the Bill

which had been drafted had been deleted. The most glaring omission was the important section on Veterinary Education. It was done on the objection of ICAR that controlled Veterinary Education. Similarly, clauses relating to the nomination of election to the IVC, state Councils and Joint State Councils to only persons holding recognises veterinary qualifications had been deleted in the Bill (to accommodate non-veterinarians as State AH Directors etc.,) had been introduced in the Parliament.

A clause was introduced (which had not been recommended by the Drafting Committee) wherein the State Govt could permit persons other than Registered Veterinary Practitioners to practice veterinary medicine. IVA was shocked to notice these anomalies in the draft Bill and immediately submitted a memorandum to the Joint Select Committee to rectify these anomalies. The Joint Select Committee was tasked to review the Bill. The committee comprising of 30 members

of Lok Sabha and 15 from Rajya Sabha had Shri P.N.Sukul, MP (Rajya Sabha) as the Chairman. In addition, the Minister for Agriculture, Rural Development and Civil Supplies and Minister of State for Agriculture were members. The Joint Committee visited many states of the country to obtain evidence/views of the various organisations and inpiduals connected with veterinary practices and training and also to obtain detailed information on various aspects of the subject.

The Committee visited Trivandrum from 23 rd to 22nd August 1982, Chennai on 27th and 28th, Bangalore on 29th, 30th and 31st and Hyderabad on 2.9/82. IVA through the state associations facilitated the logistics of the committee by ensuring that they were well received and took care of their hospitality in collaboration with various state departments of animal husbandry. The students of the various Veterinary Colleges also were tasked to receive the members of the committee at airports, railway stations etc and help them with other logistics of travel and accommodation.

The joint committee scrutinised 82 memorandums received, including those from iVA and heard oral evidence tendered by the representatives of 113 organisations during their 36 sittings visiting a number of institutions and suggesting suitable amendments to the bill.

Finally, the Indian Veterinary Council Bill, 1991 as amended by the Joint Committee of the House of Parliament was passed by both houses of Parliament during the monsoon season of 1984. After the passing of the Bill in the Parliament it the bill had the assent of the President of India and the Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984 became a reality. The Act was first extended to the states of Haryana, Bihar, Orissa, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan and later on, all other states joined the mainstream.

Following the passing of the ACT, various hurdles were encountered especially regarding Veterinary Education that was being overseen by ICAR and the matter went to court. The IVA worked relentlessly during these 6 years to see that the Council was formed and finally with the herculean efforts of Dr.CM.Singh and other stalwarts such as Dr.C.Krishna Rao and Dr.V.S Alwar and many others from various states of the country, the government of India gave permission for the formation of the council.

The government nominated a 27-member team with Dr.C. M.Singh as President and Prof.Ram Kumar as Secretary. The first meeting of the Council was held on Friday 12th January 1990 at the temporary office of VCI at Karol Bagh, New Delhi. As Secretary of the IVA, I was one of the nominated members who attended the meeting on that day.