If you have love for animals and feel at ease when being with them, you can explore the exciting and rewarding branch of Animal Care and Veterinary Science.

Veterinary Science is basically the study of diseases and maintenance of animals. A degree in this field prepares the students for a career that deals with the welfare and health of animals, biomedical or biological sciences or other related fields that need scientific-based academic qualification.

When distance mode of education was successful in other courses, the need to start Distance Education in Veterinary Science was not felt until experts realized the importance of reaching out to livestock farmers, pet owners, veterinary professional and para-veterinarians to provide necessary skill training.

How to Select a Program?

If you are planning to pursue a degree through distance education in this branch of science, follow these tips:

• The main focus of the certificate or degree program
• Accreditation of the program
• Duration of the program
• Syllabus of the program
• Credentials of the faculty

Personal Skills

• The most important quality required for a Veterinarian is compassion and genuine love for animals.
• They must be willing to work in rural areas and should be able to handle emergencies.
• A good Veterinarian must be able to diagnose the ailment of the animals from its behavior.
• They must be self-reliant and adaptable.

Eligibility Criteria

• Pass in class 12^th (10 + 2) exam with subjects Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
• Admission is based on the marks scored in the entrance exam conducted by the concerned university.
• For Masters’ Degree, the candidate must have passed the Bachelors’ Degree course with good marks.

Institutes Offering Distance Education Courses

• Indian Veterinary Research Institute
• Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University
• College of Veterinary Sciences – CCS Haryana Agricultural-University
• Bombay Veterinary Science College – Mumbai
• Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University

Career Prospects

Graduates can choose from a number of career options in this field.

• Veterinarians can opt for a career in Poultry Farms, Piggery, Large-scale dairy and Research Institutes.
• Urban population requires the services of Vets, as many of them have pets like parrots, cats and dogs in their homes.
• Can be employed as public health professionals
• Defense services also employ Vets.
• Various organizations like zoological research institutions provide employment opportunities to Veterinarians.

Remuneration

• The average initial salary of a junior veterinary surgeon ranges between Rs. 10, 000 and Rs. 15, 000 a month.
• Private practitioners get paid based on their experience and popularity. They can earn about Rs. 40 to Rs. 500 from a patient depending on the treatment the animal requires.