No dissections before PG: Panel

The guidelines,on which the UGC is yet to take a final view,include the following: No animal dissections at the undergraduate level,not more than two dissections for Masters programmes in sciences,and alternatives to even these two in the form of projects on Biodiversity,Bioinformatics,Live Zoology and Biosystemics. In addition,each college has been recommended to have a committee to monitor dissections,and animal species should be chosen keeping animal demographics of the area in mind.

8220;For example,while dissection of frogs may be permissible in north India where their population is considerable,it is recommended that frogs should not be used for dissection in the south where they do not exist in such large numbers. The idea is that dissections should not end up depleting the population of already endangered animals,8221; said a member of the committee. The committee has recommended that colleges and varsities draw up a five-year plan to implement these recommendations.

The anti-vivisection campaign has in fact seen many takers even before the UGC committee8217;s recommendations came in. About 15 universities have done away with or minimised animal dissections over the last six months. Eminent biologists though are not in agreement with this as they feel it will deprive prospective doctors and scientists of the 8220;experience8221; of dissection.