Centre proposes doubling bank guarantee for veterinary colleges to Rs 10 crore, tightens recognition norms

New Delhi, Oct 14 (UNI) The Centre has proposed doubling the bank guarantee requirement for veterinary colleges from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore as part of a sweeping overhaul of rules governing their establishment, recognition and regulation, while introducing stricter inspection procedures and safeguards for students whose institutions lose recognition or fail to secure renewal of permission.

The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has issued the draft Veterinary Council of India (Procedure for Recognition and Derecognition of Veterinary Colleges and Veterinary Qualifications) Rules, 2026, proposing to replace the existing 2017 regulations.

The notification, dated October 8 and published in the October 9 issue of the Gazette of India, was made available on the official e-Gazette portal on October 13. It invites objections and suggestions within 30 days of the date on which copies of the notification are made available to the public. The proposed rules, issued under the Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984, seek to strengthen regulatory oversight of veterinary institutions, ensure compliance with prescribed educational standards and protect students from disruption if colleges lose recognition. Under the proposed framework, eligible applicants would be required to furnish a bank guarantee of Rs 10 crore in favour of the Veterinary Council of India (VCI) before receiving a Letter of Permission to admit students. The guarantee must be issued by a scheduled bank, remain valid for five years and be extended annually without any lapse. The draft also prescribes an application fee of Rs 1.5 lakh, payable through a demand draft or pay order in favour of the VCI. State governments, union Territory administrations and universities would be exempt from the application fee and the bank guarantee requirement under the specified provisions. The proposed increase in the bank guarantee from Rs 5 crore under the 2017 framework to Rs 10 crore would substantially raise the financial commitment required from institutions seeking to establish veterinary colleges. The draft makes prior permission from the Central government mandatory for establishing a veterinary college, admitting students or increasing admission capacity beyond the sanctioned strength. Eligible applicants would include state governments, union Territory administrations, universities, statutory autonomous bodies, registered societies, eligible public trusts and Section 8 companies incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013.

Applicants must demonstrate compliance with the Minimum Standards of Veterinary Education regulations, including requirements relating to land, infrastructure, teaching facilities, clinical training and staffing. The proposed rules require suitable contiguous land of the prescribed size, either owned and possessed by the applicant or held under a lease of at least 30 years. The instructional livestock farm must be located within 30 kilometres of the veterinary college campus. A veterinary hospital or clinical complex owned by the applicant must be situated within the college campus. Where the institution has an arrangement with another veterinary hospital, the facility must be located within 20 kilometres.

Colleges would also be required to recruit the prescribed teaching and non-teaching staff for the first academic year and establish the necessary infrastructure for the first two academic years. The draft prohibits private institutions from using expressions such as "Government", "Indian", "National" or "All India" in their names in a manner that could create a misleading impression of government ownership, management or patronage, subject to the prescribed exceptions. Applications for establishing colleges or introducing veterinary qualifications would be submitted to the Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, with a copy to the VCI. The council would scrutinise applications for eligibility and compliance with the prescribed standards. Incomplete applications or those failing to meet the requirements would be returned with details of deficiencies and an opportunity for rectification within the stipulated period. Complete applications would be placed before the VCI's Executive Committee, which would determine whether a physical inspection was required. Inspectors would be selected through a draw of lots and would assess infrastructure, faculty, equipment, accommodation, clinical training and other facilities.

The inspection report would be shared with the applicant and the affiliating university. The applicant would be given an opportunity to submit comments before the council forwarded its recommendations to the Central Government. The Centre would retain the authority to grant or refuse permission, with provision for further examination of cases where necessary. The draft provides that the initial Letter of Permission would cover the first two academic years, allowing the institution to admit students for those years. Renewal of permission would allow admissions for the third and fourth academic years, subject to scrutiny and compliance with the prescribed standards. Full recognition would require a separate process, including the institution or veterinary qualification being included in the First Schedule to the Indian Veterinary Council Act. Applications for increasing the intake of students at recognised institutions would also be subject to the prescribed scrutiny and inspection process. The framework distinguishes between provisional permission to admit students and formal recognition of a veterinary college or qualification. The proposed rules provide for periodic inspections of recognised veterinary colleges to determine whether they continue to comply with educational standards. Where serious deficiencies are identified, the VCI may recommend action to the Central government under the Indian Veterinary Council Act. The procedure provides opportunities for the institution and the concerned state government to respond before a decision on withdrawal of recognition is taken.

The Centre may also refer the matter to an expert advisory committee for technical examination. Where recognition is withdrawn, the government may specify the date up to which qualifications granted by the institution will continue to be recognised. A college whose recognition has been withdrawn would be prohibited from admitting students until recognition is restored. Restoration would require the institution to rectify the deficiencies that led to withdrawal and undergo the prescribed assessment process. A significant provision seeks to protect students already admitted to colleges that lose recognition or fail to obtain renewal of permission. If recognition is not restored or permission is not renewed at least three months before the commencement of the next academic or internship year, the university would assess the students through appropriate examinations.

Based on the assessment, students could be transferred, with Central Government approval, to another recognised veterinary college affiliated with the same university. If no such institution is available, transfers could be arranged to a recognised college within the same state. Where no suitable institution exists in the state, the VCI would be empowered to arrange transfers to recognised institutions elsewhere in the country. However, a receiving institution would not be permitted to admit transferred students beyond 15 per cent of its sanctioned intake. The draft further provides for encashment of the bank guarantee furnished by the institution losing recognition or permission to meet student-transfer costs, including differences in fees. The provision is intended to protect students from being left without a recognised institution in which to complete their veterinary education. The proposed rules empower the Central Government to constitute an expert advisory committee for matters involving permission, renewal, recognition, withdrawal of recognition and increases in admission capacity.

The committee would include the Animal Husbandry Commissioner, a Deputy Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research dealing with animal sciences, vice-chancellors of two eligible universities and the Principal Secretary or Secretary of the Animal Husbandry Department of the state concerned. The committee could provide technical advice and arrange inspections where necessary. The Centre could also refer matters to the committee where the VCI fails to act within prescribed timelines or where further scrutiny is considered necessary.

The ministry has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders on the proposed regulations. Submissions may be sent to the Additional Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Krishi Bhawan, Dr Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi-110001, or emailed to [email protected]. The notification states that objections and suggestions received within the prescribed period will be considered by the Central Government before the rules are finalised. If adopted, the proposed framework would significantly tighten the conditions governing the establishment and recognition of veterinary colleges, increase financial safeguards and introduce a more structured mechanism for regulatory enforcement and student protection. The provisions, however, remain proposals and will acquire legal effect only after the government finalises and notifies the rules. Verification: The Gazette's publication details match the official e-Gazette record, and the previous Rs5-crore guarantee is supported by the 2017 rules. The proposed Rs10-crore requirement therefore represents a doubling for the applicable categories of applicants. UNI KK ATP ARN