Veterinary education in Pakistan was once considered a prestigious and research-oriented discipline. However, the harsh reality today is that the quality, practical training, and professional preparedness in this field are rapidly deteriorating. This decline is not only affecting students’ competence but also leaving government and private institutions deprived of the skilled professionals they urgently require.

Although the number of veterinary universities and colleges across the country has increased, there is little uniformity in quality and content. Most institutions have unfortunately turned into degree-awarding centers, where practical training, clinical skills, and modern research receive secondary importance. Consequently, graduates enter the professional field only to realize that they are unfamiliar with modern diagnostic tools, scientific research methods, and the practical requirements of farming and policymaking.

Today, government departments require veterinary officers who can do much more than treat animals — professionals who understand policy, planning, field surveillance, data analysis, and food safety. Unfortunately, our universities still rely on outdated curricula, ineffective teaching methods, and obsolete laboratory systems. As a result, the government needs skilled manpower, while the universities continue to produce inadequately trained graduates.

The private sector — including the dairy industry, poultry farms, feed mills, and veterinary pharmaceutical companies — is now focused on modern research, quality farming, and value chain management. They seek professionals who understand technology, biological sciences, and market dynamics. Yet, our veterinary institutions remain trapped in traditional modes of teaching that emphasize rote theory rather than hands-on practice. This is why the private sector often prefers experts trained abroad.

It is high time veterinary education is not confined merely to animal treatment but aligned with national economic priorities, food security, and public health. For this, a comprehensive reform is needed — revision of the curriculum, mandatory field internships and research projects, direct collaboration between universities and government departments, continuous faculty training, and inclusion of the private sector in curriculum development — so that students are prepared for real-world employment.

To enhance practical and clinical competence, the model of medical education should be adopted for veterinary training, starting from the third year of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. The current system — where only a Six -month internship is offered in the 10th semester — has become a mere formality, insufficient to develop professional capability. This structure must be revised through amendments to the “Standards of Veterinary Education Regulations, 2001” to ensure competency-based, practice-oriented learning.

Veterinary sciences are not just about animal health; they form a vital economic pillar directly linked to food security, rural prosperity, and public health. In an agrarian country like Pakistan, the livelihoods of livestock farmers and the rural economy depend heavily on the performance of this sector. If the quality and standards of veterinary education are improved to international levels, the livestock and dairy sector — with an estimated value of around Rs. 1500 billion — can achieve remarkable growth and generate substantial economic returns for Pakistan.

Unfortunately, the disconnect between policy, curriculum, and implementation has prevented this potential from being realized. Weak governance, poor policymaking, and inadequately trained manpower cause billions of rupees in losses every year — through disease outbreaks, low-yield breeds, and reduced productivity.

It must be acknowledged that revolutionary, science-based reforms in veterinary education and policy will not only raise academic standards but also save the government from recurring economic losses resulting from poor planning and weak execution. If universities, research institutions, and government departments work together in harmony across research, policy, and field operations, the results will be transformative — increasing livestock productivity, enhancing rural employment, boosting milk and meat production, and improving export potential.

Progress in this direction requires integrated efforts toward breed improvement, disease prevention, modern veterinary technology, food security, and public health. Such reforms will not only strengthen Pakistan’s economy but also lay the foundation for a genuine “White Revolution” — one that increases meat and milk output, uplifts farmers, and positions Pakistan as a regional hub for livestock exports.

Dr. Alamdar Hussain Malik
Advisor, Veterinary Sciences
University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Swat.