What could be seen as a really positive step towards protection of animals, the University Grants Commission has directed all the universities under it to stop experimenting with animals as research in their laboratory.
As a part of the initiative, the affiliated universities are supposed to register online with the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiment on Animals (CPCSEA), which is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment responsible for the prevention of cruelty to animals. By being a part of it, the universities will be agreeing to comply with the guidelines in their Life Sciences and Zoology courses.
The UGC has instructed the universities to consider and comply to the matter on priority-basis. An ‘action-report’ is expected from them by July 30. As many as 1,544 universities have already registered with the Committee.
A ban was also implemented on animal dissection in 2011 but had too many loopholes to gain any success. But, due to the repeated complaints regarding non-compliance of the norms related to cruelty on animals, UGC along with Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) have enforced teaching methods sans use of animals.
UGC had also instructed all the universities to comply with the Biological Diversity Act in academics and research, to increase awareness and safeguard biodiversity in the country.
[“source-indiatoday.intoday”]