Faculty can be recruited from ASRB test: minister

 The Centre is planning to introduce common entrance test for admissions to veterinary colleges across the country on the lines of NEET for medical courses.

The Agriculture Ministry has written to the state governments asking them to sign up for the common entrance test for admissions to 44 veterinary colleges and universities.

At present, the Veterinary Council of India conducts the All India Pre-Veterinary Test (AIPVT) for 15% of all-India quota seats for veterinary courses with the balance 85% is filled up by states through a separate test.

A brainchild of Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Balyan, the AIPVT for the 2016 academic year was held last week in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur and Rajasthan.
“I hope other states follow suit and sign up for a common entrance test from the next academic year,” Balyan told reporters here.

He argued that a common entrance test would help provide quality healthcare to the livestock sector.

Balyan also voiced concern over the lack of facilities and faculty at most veterinary as well as agriculture colleges run by the state governments.

“Many agriculture or veterinary colleges have infrastructure in place, but no faculty,” he said and claimed that most of the states were not recruiting faculty citing lack of funds for payment of salary and other allowances.

Balyan suggested that the state governments can recruit faculty from the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) test conducted for central agri-colleges attached to ICAR.

“Once ASRB announces the cut off list, the rest can be recruited by the state governments,” he said.

Currently, the NDA government is grappling with the Supreme Court’s order for a common entrance test for medical courses, a move opposed by the most state governments.