Learning zoology will never be the same again. There will be no frog, mouse or guinea pig to dissect in the laboratories. And replacing them will be digital alternatives such as ProDissector Frog, BioLab Frog and DigiFrog as the University Grants Commission (UGC) has ordered ban of animal dissection in labs for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
The order comes into effect immediately and all universities and colleges have to submit a compliance report to UGC in three months.
For over 100 years, higher educational institutions have taught zoology to students through animal dissection - mostly that of frogs, rats, mice, guinea pigs, cockroaches, rabbits and calves - in zoology labs. However, in 2011, the UGC imposed partial ban on dissection following continuous campaign by NGOs against environment degradation and cruelty of animals.
Now, through a notification issued on August 5,% 2014, it has directed all institutions to "do away with %the animal experimentation in Zoology/Life Science and all allied disciplines" at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Expressing concern over removal of animals from its natural habitat, the notification said, "With the increase in number of institutions, more than a million students undergo programmes requiring animal dissections. Most of these animals are caught from the wildlife. Their indiscriminate removal from their natural habitats disrupts the biodiversity and ecological balance...The case of frogs, the population of which has declined to alarming levels in the recent times, is often cited as an example."
Pointing out that laws and guidelines about animals and their welfare are not observed by institutions, the UGC said it was, therefore, "felt that the curriculum must be revamped to accommodate the latest development".
Though research students can continue the practice, they should try to procure animals from laboratory-bred sources, "especially breeders approved by the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals in which case their use will be under the purview of Institutional Animal Ethics Committee."
The UGC has also asked all higher educational institutions to constitute a dissection monitoring committee to ensure that animals are procured from ethical source, transported to the lab without stress or strain and they are anesthetized properly if used for dissections.
Besides, it said students should be taught to be compassionate to animals and 'Animal Ethics' should be included as a chapter in appropriate courses.
It has also asked for a revision of the curriculum to incorporate the new laws. The highlights of the Wildlife Protection Act and Prevention to Cruelty of Animal Act, 1960, have to be displayed in labs, it further said. The statutory body has suggested alternatives, mainly through ICT, for the current activities involving dissection. It pointed out that digital alternatives such as ProDissector Frog, BioLab Frog, DigiFrog, Dissection works, available in the market, have modules for testing students.
Suggesting solutions, it said laboratory exercises should make use of museum specimens and microscopic preparations, photographs, video clippings, models, charts, plastinated specimens, field observations. However, it stressed that field visits should include only observing animals and making a record of the observations.
It has also suggested HRD ministry to look at developing alternative modalities for research and give training to teachers to use ICT in class.
Source : TOI
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Animal-dissection-banned-in-colleges/articleshow/39784719.cms
The order comes into effect immediately and all universities and colleges have to submit a compliance report to UGC in three months.
For over 100 years, higher educational institutions have taught zoology to students through animal dissection - mostly that of frogs, rats, mice, guinea pigs, cockroaches, rabbits and calves - in zoology labs. However, in 2011, the UGC imposed partial ban on dissection following continuous campaign by NGOs against environment degradation and cruelty of animals.
Now, through a notification issued on August 5,% 2014, it has directed all institutions to "do away with %the animal experimentation in Zoology/Life Science and all allied disciplines" at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Expressing concern over removal of animals from its natural habitat, the notification said, "With the increase in number of institutions, more than a million students undergo programmes requiring animal dissections. Most of these animals are caught from the wildlife. Their indiscriminate removal from their natural habitats disrupts the biodiversity and ecological balance...The case of frogs, the population of which has declined to alarming levels in the recent times, is often cited as an example."
Pointing out that laws and guidelines about animals and their welfare are not observed by institutions, the UGC said it was, therefore, "felt that the curriculum must be revamped to accommodate the latest development".
Though research students can continue the practice, they should try to procure animals from laboratory-bred sources, "especially breeders approved by the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals in which case their use will be under the purview of Institutional Animal Ethics Committee."
The UGC has also asked all higher educational institutions to constitute a dissection monitoring committee to ensure that animals are procured from ethical source, transported to the lab without stress or strain and they are anesthetized properly if used for dissections.
Besides, it said students should be taught to be compassionate to animals and 'Animal Ethics' should be included as a chapter in appropriate courses.
It has also asked for a revision of the curriculum to incorporate the new laws. The highlights of the Wildlife Protection Act and Prevention to Cruelty of Animal Act, 1960, have to be displayed in labs, it further said. The statutory body has suggested alternatives, mainly through ICT, for the current activities involving dissection. It pointed out that digital alternatives such as ProDissector Frog, BioLab Frog, DigiFrog, Dissection works, available in the market, have modules for testing students.
Suggesting solutions, it said laboratory exercises should make use of museum specimens and microscopic preparations, photographs, video clippings, models, charts, plastinated specimens, field observations. However, it stressed that field visits should include only observing animals and making a record of the observations.
It has also suggested HRD ministry to look at developing alternative modalities for research and give training to teachers to use ICT in class.
Source : TOI
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Animal-dissection-banned-in-colleges/articleshow/39784719.cms
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