Veterinary Science Programs and Colleges in Nepal

Nepal is an agricultural country, with about 65.6% of the population depending on agriculture for their livelihood. Agriculture contributes approximately 35% to the national GDP, with livestock being an integral component. Around 87% of Nepalese households keep some form of livestock, with an average of 5.8 heads of livestock and poultry per household, one of the highest ratios in Asia. 

Nepal boasts approximately 7.2 million cattle, 5.2 million buffaloes, 0.8 million sheep, 10 million goats, 1.2 million pigs, and 48.1 million poultry. However, only 20% of these are commercially managed, with the rest owned by small farmers. Livestock diseases cause an estimated annual loss of 845 million NPR to the cattle and buffalo industry. Despite these challenges, the livestock subsector is one of the fastest-growing in Nepal's agriculture sector. The Agriculture Perspective Plan has identified livestock production and productivity as key drivers of agricultural growth.

BVSc&AH Study in Nepal

Four academic institutes in Nepal offer bachelor's degrees in veterinary science to address the growing needs of veterinarians in the country. These include the Faculty of Animal Science, Veterinary Science, and Fisheries (FAVF) at Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) in Rampur, Chitwan; the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS) under Tribhuvan University (TU) in Paklihawa, Rupandehi; the Himalayan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (HICAST) affiliated with Purbanchal University (PU) in Kalanki, Kathmandu; and the Nepal Polytechnic Institute (NPI) affiliated with PU in Bharatpur, Chitwan. 

The veterinary science program at IAAS was initiated in 1992 at the Rampur Campus, Chitwan, by converting its four-year BSc Animal Science program into a five-and-a-half-year BVSc&AH degree. This conversion marked the establishment of the first veterinary school in Nepal. As of 2024, more than 300 veterinarians have been trained at IAAS.

The Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (BVSc&AH) is a five-year program comprising ten semesters—nine semesters of college study and a six-month internship at various veterinary institutions.  Students should pass the entrance examination conducted by the respective universities to enroll in the Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (BVSc & AH) program.