Summary
An Equine Veterinarian works with animal health and production, combining clinical skill with public-health and food-safety responsibility. In India this work sits inside the Veterinary and Fishery Sciences stream: students usually take Science with Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) in Class 11–12, qualify through B.V.Sc. & A.H. / B.F.Sc., and specialise later through work experience or a master's. The sections below set out the study route, the entrance exams, the leading institutes in India and abroad, and the day-to-day reality of the job.
Core skills
- Clinical handling of animals
- Diagnostic and surgical technique
- Physical stamina for field work
- Communication with farmers and pet owners
Where you can work
- State animal-husbandry departments
- Dairy, poultry and livestock companies
- Pet clinics and hospitals
- Wildlife parks, research institutes and NGOs
Professional Opportunities
State animal-husbandry departments
Dairy, poultry and livestock companies
Pet clinics and hospitals
Wildlife parks, research institutes and NGOs
Career Path
| Stage | What you study | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| After Class 10 | Science with Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) | 2 years (Class 11–12) |
| Graduation | B.V.Sc. & A.H. / B.F.Sc. | 5.5 years / 4 years |
| After Graduation | M.V.Sc. / M.F.Sc. | 2 years |
| After Post-Graduation | Ph.D., professional certifications, or senior practice in the field | 3–5 years (optional) |
Important Facts
- Entry qualification: B.V.Sc. & A.H. / B.F.Sc..
- Most institutes ask for 50–60% in the qualifying examination; reserved categories usually get a 5% relaxation.
- Admission is through the entrance exams listed below — national tests plus the state CET where applicable.
- Government and private institutes both offer this route; fee levels differ sharply between them.
- Scholarships listed on the HBK scholarships page apply to most of these programmes.
Leading Institutes in India
| # | Institute | Entrance / Category | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of Vet. Science, Lala Lajpat Rai Uni. of Vet. and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana | Veterinary Sciences | luvas.edu.in/ |
| 1 | College of Fisheries, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University., Nellore, Andhra Pradesh | Fishery Sciences | svvu.edu.in/ |
| 2 | College of Vet. and Animal Science, Rajasthan Uni. of Vet. & Animal Sciences, Bikaner, Rajasthan | Veterinary Sciences | rajuvas.org/ |
| 2 | College of Fisheries, Assam Agri. University., Raha, Assam | Fishery Sciences | aau.ac.in/ |
| 3 | ICAR - Indian Vet. Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh | Veterinary Sciences | icar.org.in/ |
| 3 | College of Fisheries, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agri. University, Dholi, Bihar | Fishery Sciences | www.rpcau.ac.in/ |
| 4 | College of Vet. Science, Guru Angad Dev Vet. and Animal Sciences Uni., Ludhiana, Punjab | Veterinary Sciences | gadvasu.in/ |
| 4 | College of Fisheries, Chhattisgarh Kamdhenu Vishwavidalaya, Kawardha, Chhattisgarh | Fishery Sciences | cgkv.ac.in/ |
| 5 | College of Vet. Science and Animal Husbandry, UP Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidyalay Evam Go-anusandhan Sansthan, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh | Veterinary Sciences | upvetuniv.edu.in/ |
| 5 | College of Fisheries, Junagadh Agri. University, Veraval, Gujarat | Fishery Sciences | www.jau.in/ |
| 6 | Post Graduate Insti. of Vet. Edu. and Research, Rajasthan Uni. of Vet. & Animal Sciences, Jaipur, Rajasthan | Veterinary Sciences | rajuvas.org/jaipur/ |
| 6 | Faculty of Fisheries, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agri. Sciences & Tech., Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir | Fishery Sciences | skuastkashmir.ac.in/ |
| 7 | College of Vet. & Animal Sciences, Kerala Vet. and Animal Science Uni., Thrissur, Kerala | Veterinary Sciences | www.kvasu.ac.in/ |
| 7 | College of Fisheries Science, Birsa Agri. University, Gumla, Jharkhand | Fishery Sciences | www.bauranchi.org/ |
| 8 | College of Vet. & Animal Sciences, Govind Ballabh Pant Uni. of Agriculture & Tech., Pantnagar, Uttarakhand | Veterinary Sciences | www.gbpuat.ac.in/ |
| 8 | College of Fisheries, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal & Fisheries Sciences University, Mangalore, Karnataka | Fishery Sciences | kvafsu.edu.in/ |
| 9 | College of Vet. and Animal Science, Rajasthan Uni. of Vet. & Animal Sciences, Udaipur, Rajasthan | Veterinary Sciences | rajuvas.org/udaipur/ |
| 9 | College of Fisheries, Kerala University of Fisheries & Ocean Studies, Panangad, Kerala | Fishery Sciences | kufos.ac.in/ |
| 10 | College of Vet. Science and Animal Husbandry, Orissa Uni. of Agriculture & Tech., Bhubaneswar, Odisha | Veterinary Sciences | ouat.ac.in/ |
| 10 | College of Fisheries Science, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh | Fishery Sciences | www.ndvsu.org/ |
| 11 | Madras Vet. College, Tamil Nadu Vet. & Animal Sciences Uni., Chennai, Tamil Nadu | Veterinary Sciences | tanuvas.ac.in/ |
| 11 | Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Deemed-to-be-University, Mumbai, Maharashtra | Fishery Sciences | www.cife.edu.in/ |
| 12 | Dr. G.C. Negi College of Vet. and Animal Sci., CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalay, Palampur, HP | Veterinary Sciences | hillagric.ac.in/ |
| 12 | College of Fisheries, Orissa University of Agri. & Tech., Berhampur, Odisha | Fishery Sciences | www.ouat.nic.in/ |
| 13 | NTR College of Vet. Science, Sri Venkateswara Vet. Uni., Gannavaram, Andhra Pradesh | Veterinary Sciences | www.svvu.edu.in/ |
| 13 | College of Fisheries, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab | Fishery Sciences | www.gadvasu.in/ |
| 14 | Bihar Vet. College, Bihar Animal Science Uni., Patna, Bihar | Veterinary Sciences | basu.org.in/ |
| 14 | College of Fisheries, Maharana Pratap University of Agri. & Tech., Udaipur, Rajasthan | Fishery Sciences | www.mpuat.ac.in/ |
| 15 | College of Vet. Science and Animal Husbandry, Kamdhenu Uni., Anand, Gujarat | Veterinary Sciences | www.kamdhenuuni.edu.in/ |
| 15 | Fisheries College and Research Institute, Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu | Fishery Sciences | www.tnjfu.ac.in/ |
Institutions Abroad
| Institute | Country | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Veterinary College | United Kingdom | www.rvc.ac.uk/ |
| University of California, Davis — Veterinary Medicine | United States | www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ |
| Utrecht University | Netherlands | www.uu.nl/en |
Entrance Exams
| Exam | Full name | What it admits you to | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEET UG | National Eligibility cum Entrance Test | B.V.Sc. & A.H. Course across Veterinary Sciences colleges in India | neet.nta.nic.in/ |
| CETUG-AAU | Common Entrance Test | B.V.Sc. & A.H. course at Assam Agricultural University-Assam | aau.ac.in/ |
| MP-PV & FT | Madhya Pradesh Pre Veterinary & Fishery Test | B.V.Sc. & AH and B.F.Sc. across Colleges in Madhya Pradesh | peb.mp.gov.in/ |
| UP-CATET | Uttar Pradesh Combined Agriculture and Technology Entrance Test | B.V.Sc. & AH and B.F.Sc. programs at Agriculture Universities across Uttar Pradesh | upcatetadmissions.org/ |
| BCECE | Bihar Combine Entrance Competitive Exam | B.F.Sc. and B.V. Sc. & AH across Agri. Universities in Bihar | bceceboard.bihar.gov.in/ |
| MHT-CET | Maharashtra Technical Common Entrance Test | B.F.Sc. across Agri. Universities in Maharashtra | cetcell.mahacet.org |
| AP-EAPCET (AM Category) | Andhra Pradesh Engineering, Agriculture & Pharmacy Common Entrance Test | B.F.Sc. and B.V. Sc. & A.H. across Agri. Universities in Andhra Pradesh | sche.ap.gov.in/EAPCET |
| CG-PAT | Pre Agriculture Test | B.F.Sc. and B.V.Sc. & A.H. courses across Agriculture Universities in Chhattisgarh | cgkv.ac.in/ |
| JCECE | Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination | B.V. Sc. & A.H. and B.F.Sc. courses within the State of Jharkhand | jceceb.jharkhand.gov.in/ |
| SKUAST-J CET | Common Entrance Test | B.V. Sc. & A.H. courses at SKUAST | skuast.org/ |
| KEA-CET | Karnataka Examination Authority Common Entrance Test | B.V.Sc. & A.H., B.F.Sc (Fisheries), in all Govt. & Affiliated Colleges in Karnataka | cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/ |
| TS-EAMCET AM | Engineering Agriculture & Medical Common Entrance Test)Agriculture Medicine | B.F.Sc. and B.V.Sc. & AH across Agri. Universities in Telangana | eamcet.tsche.ac.in/ |
| GBPUAT-CEE | Common Entrance Exam | B.F.Sc. and B.V. Sc. & AH at GBP Univ. of Agri. And Tech. Uttarakhand | gbpuat.ac.in/ |
| GUJCET | Gujarat Common Entrance Test | B.V.Sc. & AH and B.F.Sc. programs across Agriculture Universities in Gujarat | gujcet.gseb.org/ |
Work Description
- 01Examine and treat animals in clinics, farms or field camps.
- 02Run vaccination, breeding and disease-surveillance programmes.
- 03Advise owners and farms on nutrition, housing and hygiene.
- 04Certify animal health for movement, sale or export.
- 05Maintain treatment and drug records as per council rules.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Government veterinary officer posts across every district
- Rapidly growing urban pet-care market
- Meaningful work with animals and rural livelihoods
Cons
- Physically demanding and sometimes risky work
- Emergency and field calls at odd hours
- Rural postings are common in government service
Are you fit for this career?
Take the free HBK psychometric test and see how Equine Veterinarian matches your interests and aptitude.
Sources
© HBK Careers. Compiled in-house from official regulators, exam bodies and institute websites. Exam and institute records on this page are the same records used across the HBK handbook and exams pages.