On Friday, veterinary college students across the State organised sit-in demonstrations within their respective campuses opposing the proposal to introduce private veterinary colleges. At the Veterinary College and Research Institute (VCRI) in Namakkal, over 100 students gathered within the campus premises to protest the move and raised slogans against the establishment of private veterinary colleges. Students stated that Tamil Nadu currently has around 24.50 million livestock, for which approximately 5,000 veterinarians are required. However, the State already has more than 8,000 registered veterinarians, and every year over 680 veterinary graduates complete their education from the seven government veterinary colleges.

Federation coordinator M. Balaji said that Tamil Nadu has long been a leader in veterinary education through the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS). Over the years, TANUVAS has upheld strong academic standards and has trained veterinarians who serve livestock farmers, rural populations, and the broader animal husbandry sector across the country.

Currently, more than 8,000 veterinarians are listed in the State veterinary register. Additionally, a significant number of veterinary graduates from private veterinary colleges in other States move to Tamil Nadu each year in search of job opportunities. Mr. Balaji warned that introducing private veterinary colleges within the State could create serious issues such as unemployment among graduates, deterioration in educational standards, commercialisation of veterinary education, and long-term imbalances in veterinary workforce planning.

Mr. Balaji also pointed out that establishing private veterinary colleges would inevitably strengthen the NEET-based admission system. He explained that admissions to B.V.Sc. and A.H. programmes across the country are presently linked to NEET-UG rankings in accordance with national regulatory frameworks. According to him, such a move would indirectly reinforce NEET-based admissions in veterinary education in Tamil Nadu, which would go against the State’s long-standing stance on centralised entrance examinations.