Rina Dev was in her teens when she decided on her career — that of a veterinarian. “I have been into animal welfare since childhood — be it in the form of taking care of stray dogs or of other animals and birds. I’ve also been associated with animal welfare organisations,” says Dev, a fourth-year student who is doing her graduation in veterinary science and animal husbandry (BVSc & AH) from a private college in Jaipur.

The days when veterinary science was considered the last resort for those who were unable to secure admission in a medical college are long gone. Now, many students like Dev are studying veterinary science by choice, not compulsion.

“If you look at the quality of students we get, you will be amazed to see that many students who secured good ranks in the All India Medical Entrance Exam (AIMEE) actually opt for the veterinary course over the other medical streams,” says Amalendu Chakraborty, dean, faculty of veterinary and animal sciences, West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences (WBUAFS), Calcutta. “That is because today, students are driven more by passion to do something for the welfare of animals. The scope for research and higher studies in this field is also fairly high,” he adds.

Studying veterinary science at a private college, however, doesn’t come cheap. The tug at the purse strings is the same as that for the mainstream medical fields. But for those like Dev, that is not a deterrent. “Money is never a consideration for somebody who is seriously interested in animal welfare, but then, the remuneration is not that bad either in this sector,” says Dev. “It’s on a par with that earned by a medical graduate.”

For many people who maintain pets, a vet is almost akin to a family physician. So private practice is quite profitable. However, one constraint that vets experienced in the past — that their patients were limited to dogs and cats — no longer exists.

“These days people keep various pets, from parrots to guinea pigs. So the doctor’s role has diversified and has become more challenging,” says Banik Kumar Ghosh, a consultant veterinarian.

Veterinary physicians and surgeons are posted at government hospitals in various parts of the country. The Indian Army’s Remount Veterinary Services (RVS), which runs the largest organised equine and canine breeding, rearing, training and health care operations in the country, also recruits many graduates each year.

Veterinary specialists are also involved in studying new types of diseases and finding cures. “Take a disease like bird flu. It is by conducting research that the avian specialists who monitor diseases find a cure. Also, there are many poultry, duck and turkey farms in the country that require vets to come up with vaccinations in case of an outbreak of a disease,” says Chakraborty.

Wildlife medicine is another emerging area that holds a lot of promise. As the conflict between animals and humans increases, animals are often at the receiving end. That is when a veterinary specialist is needed. In fact as Thanga Raju, former dean of the Madras Veterinary College, notes, “The army, police, paramilitary forces, zoos, race courses and even banks, which consult veterinary specialists while disbursing animal loans, need such specialists.”

Most veterinary colleges offer an integrated BVSc & AH course, which is of a four-and-a-half-year duration, followed by a six-month internship. One can either go on to do a masters degree if interested in higher studies and research or take up a job.

Students who have passed their Class XII examinations in the science stream with physics, chemistry and biology are eligible to appear for the BVSc & AH entrance examination. Some state veterinary colleges select students on the basis of the entrance examination that they conduct. The Veterinary Council of India (VCI), which is the nodal agency that decides the course structure and other issues associated with veterinary education in the country, also conducts an All India Common Entrance Examination (AICEE) for admission to BVSc & AH. Around 15 per cent of the seats in nearly all the government-controlled veterinary colleges in India are reserved for students who figure in the merit list of this examination.

Some of the leading veterinary colleges include Madras College of Veterinary Science, Chennai; Faculty of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, WBUAFS, Calcutta; Palampur College of Agriculture, Palampur; College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Hisar; College of Veterinary & Animal Science, Pantnagar, and College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Bhubaneshwar. Many join the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izzatnagar, UP, which is part of the Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR), for research work and higher studies.

The course fee in a government-aided institution runs to Rs 40,000 for the five-year duration but at private colleges it could go up to Rs 5 lakh. With VCI planning to introduce new courses, including one on entrepreneurship in the field, studying veterinary science has never been more exciting.