Edu-leaders

The University Grant Commission (UGC) has recommended to bar the dissection and experimentation of animal in various universities and colleges. According to new guidelines, these dissections will be phased out gradually. The new recommendations would soon be sent to teaching institutions across the country for implementation.

According to new guidelines, undergraduate students will no longer be required to dissect animals and the process would be optional for postgraduate students. The recommendations also call for modern modes of learning like software to replace the use of animals for experiments.

Taking a serious note of the issue, UGC has convened an Expert Committee. After a brain-storming session, the Committee came up with specific recommendations in this regard. These recommendations aimed at suggesting to the UGC to take up the issue of discontinuation of dissection and animal experimentation in Zoology/ Life Sciences in a phased manner.

The recommendations were approved by the UGC and Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), and the following Guidelines are issued for the implementation. These Guidelines will apply to all departments in universities and colleges which deal with animals in teaching and learning.

Recommendation 1:

All Institutions of Higher Education to strictly adhere to the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

Recommendation 2:

All Institutions of Higher Education to constitute Dissection Monitoring Committees (DMC) to look into the use of animals and UGC to provide guidelines for the same.

Recommendation 3:

For both UG and PG programs, there shall be reduction in the number of animals for dissection and experimentation as well as in the number of species with all ethical considerations. Preference shall be given to laboratory bred animal models.

Recommendation 4:

For UG: 'Only one species ' to be adopted for 'demonstration only' by the faculty and 'students should not do any dissection'. In lieu of this, Curriculum must be developed to encourage students to take up field work.

Recommendation 5:

For PG: Students shall have the option to perform dissection of 'selected species ' as per the curriculum or to have a project related to biodiversity/biosystematics, etc.