Data report · Updated October 2026
Veterinary Doctor Salary in India 2026: Government Pay by State, 73 Veterinary Colleges, BVSc Fees and NEET Ranks
A government veterinary doctor in India starts on a basic pay of Rs 53,100 to Rs 56,100 a month, per official notices we opened. That covers Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana, Bihar and Tamil Nadu. India has 73 recognised veterinary colleges with 6,504 BVSc seats, 58 of them government-run. Yearly BVSc tuition ranges from Rs 12,000 at Tamil Nadu's state university to Rs 10 lakh for a self-financed seat in Ludhiana.
Key findings
- Government vets start at Rs 56,100 basic pay a month under Level 10 in Delhi and Chandigarh, and at Rs 53,100 in Haryana and Bihar.
- Tamil Nadu's veterinary assistant surgeon scale runs from Rs 56,100 to Rs 2,05,700, the widest of the official scales we found.
- The Veterinary Council of India's August 2026 list has 73 recognised colleges with 6,504 seats; 15 private colleges hold 1,300 seats, or 20%.
- Rajasthan has 11 recognised veterinary colleges and 1,000 seats, the most of any state, and 8 of those colleges are private.
- Yearly BVSc tuition in 2026-27 is Rs 12,000 at TANUVAS and Rs 28,000 at LUVAS Hisar, but Rs 5 lakh at Haryana's private colleges.
- After two counselling rounds in 2026, 83 of 87 all-India quota seats at six private colleges were still vacant, against 197 of 771 at government colleges.
- Madras Veterinary College filled its last open all-India quota seat in Round 1 of 2026 at NEET rank 26,988, the most competitive in the quota.
- In December 2025, 10,474 of 40,603 sanctioned government vet doctor posts (25.8%) were vacant; Maharashtra alone had 2,165.
- Maharashtra advertised 2,795 veterinary officer posts in April 2025, Odisha 436 in July 2026, and Bihar opened applications for 787 at Level 9 pay in September 2026.
What is a veterinary doctor's salary in India?
A government veterinary doctor in India starts on a basic pay of about Rs 53,100 to Rs 56,100 a month. This is the entry point in the official notices we opened from Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana, Bihar, Odisha and Tamil Nadu.
In Delhi and Chandigarh, a veterinary officer is a Group A post in pay Level 10, from Rs 56,100 to Rs 1,77,500. Rs 56,100 a month works out to Rs 6.73 lakh a year in basic pay alone, before dearness allowance and other allowances.
Delhi's Development Department appointed a veterinary officer in 2026 at Level 10 plus non-practising allowance (NPA). Goa's March 2026 advertisement for its new veterinary college sets NPA at 20% of pay for teaching posts.
| Employer | Post | Pay level | Basic pay a month (Rs) | Notice and date | Posts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chandigarh UT Administration | Veterinary Officer, Group A | Level 10 | 56,100 to 1,77,500 | Deputation circular on DAHD website, uploaded January 2025 | 2 |
| Delhi government | Veterinary Officer, Group A | Level 10 plus NPA | 56,100 to 1,77,500 | Appointment order after CAT order of 2 April 2026 | 1 |
| Tamil Nadu (TNPSC) | Veterinary Assistant Surgeon | Level 22 | 56,100 to 2,05,700 | Notification 34/2022, 18 November 2022 | 731 |
| Odisha (OPSC) | Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Group A | Level 12, Odisha pay matrix (ORSP Rules 2017) | 56,100 (entry pay, Cell 1) | Advt 04 of 2026-27, 18 July 2026 | 436 |
| Kerala (Kerala PSC) | Veterinary Surgeon Grade II | State scale | 55,200 to 1,15,300 | Ranked list in force from 17 November 2025 | Anticipated |
| Haryana (HPSC) | Veterinary Surgeon | FPL-9 | 53,100 to 1,67,800 | Advt 21/2026, 14 January 2026 (withdrawn) | 162 |
| Bihar (BTSC) | Touring Veterinary Officer | Level 9 | 53,100 to 1,67,800 | Advt 27/2026, applications from 24 September 2026 | 787 |
| Rajasthan (RPSC) | Veterinary Officer | Rajasthan pay matrix L-14 | Fixed pay during probation | Advt 04/2025-26, 17 July 2025 | 1,100 |
| Goa (GPSC) | Assistant Professor, Goa veterinary college | Level 10 plus 20% NPA | Not stated | Advt 03/2026, 13 March 2026 | 18 |
Odisha's July 2026 notice for 436 veterinary assistant surgeon posts offers Rs 56,100 a month at Level 12, Cell 1 of the state pay matrix. Applications ran from 24 July to 24 August 2026, and OPSC has moved the written test to 19 November 2026.
Kerala pays on its own state scale. Its veterinary surgeon grade II post starts at Rs 55,200 and tops out at Rs 1,15,300, per the ranked list Kerala PSC brought into force on 17 November 2025.
Rajasthan's July 2025 notice places the veterinary officer post at Level L-14 of the Rajasthan pay matrix. New recruits get a fixed monthly pay during probation under state rules, the notice says.
We found no official or audited data on private-practice or corporate vet salaries in India. Pay at pet clinics varies by city and employer, so we have left it out rather than guess.
How much are BVSc course fees in government and private colleges?
BVSc tuition in India ranges from Rs 12,000 a year to Rs 10 lakh a year, depending on the college and the seat. Most government seats cost a small fraction of private and self-financed seats.
TANUVAS charges Rs 12,000 a year in tuition at its Tamil Nadu colleges in 2026-27. LUVAS charges Rs 28,000 at the College of Veterinary Sciences, Hisar, and waives tuition for Haryana-resident women.
Haryana's government fixed tuition at its affiliated private colleges at Rs 5 lakh a year for state-quota seats and Rs 7 lakh for management seats. That order is dated 6 July 2026. Rs 5 lakh is about 18 times the Hisar government tuition.
Source: 2026-27 prospectuses of TANUVAS, LUVAS and GADVASU, and Haryana government fee order of 6 July 2026 in the LUVAS prospectus. Tuition only; GADVASU six-monthly fees doubled to a year.
Show the numbers
| Label | Rs |
|---|---|
| TANUVAS colleges, Tamil Nadu | Rs 12,000 |
| COVS Hisar, Haryana | Rs 28,000 |
| COVS Ludhiana, state quota | Rs 60,000 |
| COVS Rampura Phul, state quota | Rs 2.64 lakh |
| Khalsa College Amritsar, university quota | Rs 3.6 lakh |
| Haryana private colleges, state quota | Rs 5 lakh |
| Haryana private colleges, management | Rs 7 lakh |
| Khalsa College, management quota | Rs 7.6 lakh |
| Khalsa College, special management | Rs 8.75 lakh |
| COVS Ludhiana, self-financed seat | Rs 10 lakh |
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| College and seat | Tuition (Rs) | Billing | Other fees and payment at admission (Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| TANUVAS colleges, Tamil Nadu | 12,000 | Per year | Total course fees 1,43,545 over 5.5 years, excluding hostel |
| COVS Hisar (LUVAS) | 28,000 | Per year | 64,400 in year 1 excluding hostel; 2,95,700 for the course |
| COVS Ludhiana (GADVASU), state quota | 30,000 | Every six months | 83,130 at admission, excluding hostel |
| COVS Rampura Phul (GADVASU), state quota | 1,32,000 | Every six months | 1,85,130 at admission, excluding hostel |
| COVS Ludhiana, self-financed seat | 5,00,000 | Every six months | 5,53,130 at admission |
| Khalsa College, Amritsar, university quota | 1,80,000 | Every six months | 2,91,500 at admission without hostel |
| Khalsa College, management quota | 3,80,000 | Every six months | 4,91,500 at admission without hostel |
| Khalsa College, special management quota | 4,37,500 | Every six months | 5,49,000 at admission without hostel |
| Haryana private colleges, state quota | 5,00,000 | Per year | 5,67,720 in the first year |
| Haryana private colleges, management quota | 7,00,000 | Per year | 7,67,720 in the first year |
| LUVAS NRI seat | US$ 8,800 development fund | Per year | US$ 5,500 admission fee |
GADVASU bills every six months, so its state-quota tuition at Ludhiana comes to Rs 60,000 a year. Its prospectus adds an annual increase of 10% in the fee structure for constituent and affiliated colleges.
Rampura Phul is a government constituent college of GADVASU, yet its state-quota tuition is Rs 1.32 lakh every six months. The Rampura Phul rate is 4.4 times Ludhiana's for the same degree.
If Haryana's private colleges bill tuition for four and a half academic years, as LUVAS does for its own seats, tuition alone would reach about Rs 22.5 lakh. This is our estimate, not a published course total.
How many veterinary colleges are there in India?
India has 73 veterinary colleges whose BVSc degree is recognised by the Veterinary Council of India (VCI). Together they have 6,504 seats approved by the central government, per VCI's list updated in August 2026.
Of the 73, 58 are government colleges with 5,204 seats. Fifteen are private, with 1,300 seats, or 20% of the total. The biggest is the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Thrissur, with 125 seats.
In August 2023, the animal husbandry ministry told the Lok Sabha that India had 70 veterinary colleges, 57 recognised and 13 awaiting recognition. The recognised list now has 16 more colleges than it did then.
Source: Veterinary Council of India, List of Recognised Veterinary Colleges (updated August 2026). Amber bars are states with private colleges. Top 14 of 25 states and UTs.
Show the numbers
| Label | seats |
|---|---|
| Rajasthan | 1,000 seats |
| Tamil Nadu | 640 seats |
| Karnataka | 455 seats |
| Maharashtra | 455 seats |
| Haryana | 440 seats |
| Uttar Pradesh | 390 seats |
| Gujarat | 375 seats |
| Andhra Pradesh | 300 seats |
| Madhya Pradesh | 300 seats |
| Punjab | 280 seats |
| Telangana | 280 seats |
| Odisha | 260 seats |
| Kerala | 225 seats |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 163 seats |
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| State or UT | Colleges | Seats | Private colleges | Private seats | Private share of seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan | 11 | 1,000 | 8 | 700 | 70% |
| Tamil Nadu | 7 | 640 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Karnataka | 5 | 455 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Maharashtra | 5 | 455 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Haryana | 5 | 440 | 4 | 340 | 77% |
| Uttar Pradesh | 5 | 390 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Gujarat | 4 | 375 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Andhra Pradesh | 3 | 300 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Madhya Pradesh | 3 | 300 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Punjab | 3 | 280 | 1 | 100 | 36% |
| Telangana | 3 | 280 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Odisha | 3 | 260 | 2 | 160 | 62% |
| Kerala | 2 | 225 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 2 | 163 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Assam | 2 | 140 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Chhattisgarh | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Mizoram | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Puducherry | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| West Bengal | 1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Uttarakhand | 1 | 76 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Bihar | 1 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Himachal Pradesh | 1 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Jharkhand | 1 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Tripura | 1 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Nagaland | 1 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Rajasthan leads with 11 colleges and 1,000 seats, and 8 of those colleges are private, with 700 seats. Tamil Nadu is second with 7 colleges and 640 seats, all government.
Haryana has 4 private colleges among its 5, and Odisha 2 among its 3. Punjab has 1 private college, Khalsa College in Amritsar. The other 21 states and UTs on the list have only government colleges.
Delhi and Goa have no recognised college; Goa's first admits students from 2026-27. Mizoram and Nagaland have one each, run by the Central Agricultural University, Imphal.
Which new government and private veterinary colleges are opening?
VCI's list of provisionally recognised colleges, dated 14 May 2026, has 25 more colleges with a central government letter of permission. Nine are government colleges and 16 are private.
Twelve of the 25 are cleared to admit students from the 2026-27 session. They include Goa's first veterinary college at Curli-Ponda and new government colleges at Bhuj in Gujarat and Banda in Uttar Pradesh.
Maharashtra has the most new private colleges, with 4. Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have 3 each, and Haryana 2. The private share of seats will rise as these colleges are recognised.
| State | College | Sector | Admits from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | College of Veterinary Science, Garividi | Government | Before 2026-27 |
| Bihar | College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Kishanganj | Government | Before 2026-27 |
| Chhattisgarh | College of Veterinary Science & AH, Bilaspur | Government | Before 2026-27 |
| Goa | Goa College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Curli-Ponda | Government | 2026-27 |
| Gujarat | College of Veterinary Science & AH, Himmatnagar | Government | Before 2026-27 |
| Gujarat | College of Veterinary Science & AH, Bhuj | Government | 2026-27 |
| Karnataka | Shri Bhaurao Deshpande Veterinary College, Athani | Government | Before 2026-27 |
| Maharashtra | College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Akola | Government | Before 2026-27 |
| Uttar Pradesh | College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Banda | Government | 2026-27 |
| Chhattisgarh | College of Veterinary Science & AH, Bilaspur (private sector entry) | Private | 2026-27 |
| Haryana | Bhumika College of Veterinary Science, Mahendergarh | Private | Before 2026-27 |
| Haryana | B.D.M. College of Veterinary Sciences, Jhajjar | Private | 2026-27 |
| Himachal Pradesh | School of Veterinary Sciences, Abhilashi University, Mandi | Private | Before 2026-27 |
| Maharashtra | Parikarma Veterinary Science College, Ahilyanagar | Private | 2026-27 |
| Maharashtra | Yashodeep Veterinary College, Murbad, Thane | Private | 2026-27 |
| Maharashtra | Tatyasaheb Kore Institute of Veterinary & Animal Science, Warananagar | Private | 2026-27 |
| Maharashtra | Dr Rajendra Suryawanshi College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Chh. Sambhajinagar | Private | 2026-27 |
| Odisha | School of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Centurion University, Gajapati | Private | Before 2026-27 |
| Rajasthan | Shekhawati Veterinary College, Sikar | Private | Before 2026-27 |
| Rajasthan | Ramkumari College of Veterinary Science | Private | Before 2026-27 |
| Rajasthan | Mahala Veterinary College, Sikar | Private | Before 2026-27 |
| Uttar Pradesh | School of Veterinary Science & AH, Vivek University, Bijnor | Private | 2026-27 |
| Uttar Pradesh | SM College of Veterinary and Animal Research, K.M. University, Mathura | Private | 2026-27 |
| Uttar Pradesh | Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahaveer University, Meerut | Private | 2026-27 |
| West Bengal | JIS College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hooghly | Private | Before 2026-27 |
Haryana's LUVAS prospectus for 2026-27 lists 7 affiliated private colleges. Two of them, at Tohana and Bhiwani, could admit students only after a central letter of permission.
Each Haryana private college has 80 seats, split 48 state quota and 32 management quota, except IIVER Rohtak. IIVER has 100 seats: 45 state, 40 management and 15 for VCI's all-India quota.
What NEET rank do you need for a government veterinary college?
For an open seat in VCI's all-India quota, you needed a NEET rank inside roughly 27,000 to 60,000 at most government colleges in 2026. Madras Veterinary College in Chennai closed its last open seat in Round 1 at rank 26,988.
VCI fills 15% of seats in recognised colleges through all-India counselling on NEET-UG merit. For 2026-27 it offered 858 seats in 64 colleges and allotted 841 in Round 1 on 24 August 2026.
The next three were Bhubaneswar at 27,390, Thrissur at 29,786 and Bikaner at 30,067. Ludhiana closed at 30,078 and Hisar at 31,407.
Source: VCI counselling, Round 1 allotment result, 24 August 2026. Open category, excluding PwD seats. Amber bars are private colleges. A lower rank means a harder seat.
Show the numbers
| Label | NEET rank |
|---|---|
| Madras Veterinary College, Chennai | 26,988 |
| CVSc & AH, Bhubaneswar | 27,390 |
| CVAS, Thrissur | 29,786 |
| CVAS, Bikaner | 30,067 |
| COVS, Ludhiana | 30,078 |
| COVS, Hisar | 31,407 |
| Mumbai Veterinary College | 36,739 |
| Veterinary College, Hebbal, Bengaluru | 39,354 |
| CVSc, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad | 44,356 |
| NTR CVSc, Gannavaram | 53,978 |
| Mahatma Jyotiba Fule College, Chomu | 65,507 |
| Apollo College of Vet Medicine, Jaipur | 67,266 |
| Khalsa College, Amritsar | 77,152 |
| M.B. Veterinary College, Dungarpur | 80,604 |
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| College | Sector | 2025 closing rank | 2026 closing rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madras Veterinary College, Chennai | Govt | 21,811 | 26,988 | 5,177 |
| CVSc & AH, Bhubaneswar (OUAT) | Govt | 39,301 | 27,390 | -11,911 |
| CVAS, Thrissur (KVASU) | Govt | 40,194 | 29,786 | -10,408 |
| CVAS, Bikaner (RAJUVAS) | Govt | 27,997 | 30,067 | 2,070 |
| COVS, Ludhiana (GADVASU) | Govt | 33,417 | 30,078 | -3,339 |
| COVS, Hisar (LUVAS) | Govt | 31,038 | 31,407 | 369 |
| PGIVER, Jaipur | Govt | 29,625 | 32,222 | 2,597 |
| CVSc & AH, Mathura (DUVASU) | Govt | 35,126 | 33,959 | -1,167 |
| CVAS, Navania, Udaipur | Govt | 33,946 | 34,274 | 328 |
| CVAS, Pantnagar | Govt | 35,535 | 35,310 | -225 |
| CVAS, Pookode | Govt | 44,615 | 35,626 | -8,989 |
| Faculty of Vet Sciences, BHU | Govt | 39,979 | 36,359 | -3,620 |
| Mumbai Veterinary College | Govt | 42,378 | 36,739 | -5,639 |
| Faculty of Vet Sciences, Mohanpur (WBUAFS) | Govt | 53,271 | 37,457 | -15,814 |
| CVSc & AH, Anand | Govt | 38,422 | 37,482 | -940 |
| CVAS, Meerut | Govt | 46,870 | 38,157 | -8,713 |
| Dr G.C. Negi College, Palampur | Govt | 38,240 | 38,380 | 140 |
| Veterinary College, Hebbal, Bengaluru | Govt | 49,547 | 39,354 | -10,193 |
| FVSc & AH, Srinagar (SKUAST-K) | Govt | 44,364 | 39,785 | -4,579 |
| Bihar Veterinary College, Patna | Govt | 41,584 | 39,825 | -1,759 |
| COVS, Rampura Phul (GADVASU) | Govt | not in quota | 40,069 | |
| VCRI, Namakkal | Govt | 46,648 | 40,414 | -6,234 |
| CVSc & AH, Durg | Govt | 53,212 | 41,153 | -12,059 |
| CVSc & AH, Junagadh | Govt | 49,587 | 41,422 | -8,165 |
| CVSc & AH, Jabalpur | Govt | 50,090 | 42,180 | -7,910 |
| CVSc & AH, Sardarkrushinagar | Govt | 55,389 | 43,464 | -11,925 |
| CVSc & AH, Navsari | Govt | 52,149 | 43,863 | -8,286 |
| FVSc & AH, R.S. Pura, Jammu | Govt | 47,130 | 44,009 | -3,121 |
| CVSc, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad | Govt | 58,620 | 44,356 | -14,264 |
| Nagpur Veterinary College | Govt | 48,584 | 44,549 | -4,035 |
| Ranchi Veterinary College | Govt | 48,864 | 44,686 | -4,178 |
| CVSc & AH, Ayodhya | Govt | 51,937 | 45,296 | -6,641 |
| CVSc, Tirupati | Govt | 57,204 | 46,180 | -11,024 |
| CVSc & AH, Mhow | Govt | 58,041 | 46,228 | -11,813 |
| RIVER, Puducherry | Govt | 59,021 | 46,819 | -12,202 |
| CVSc & AH, Rewa | Govt | 56,525 | 48,004 | -8,521 |
| CVSc, Khanapara, Guwahati | Govt | 61,503 | 48,147 | -13,356 |
| VCRI, Orathanadu | Govt | 51,576 | 49,813 | -1,763 |
| VCRI, Tirunelveli | Govt | 52,216 | 52,393 | 177 |
| Veterinary College, Bidar | Govt | 62,589 | 52,617 | -9,972 |
| CVSc, Lakhimpur | Govt | 67,334 | 52,815 | -14,519 |
| VCRI, Salem | Govt | not in quota | 53,516 | |
| KNP College, Shirwal, Satara | Govt | 60,488 | 53,797 | -6,691 |
| NTR CVSc, Gannavaram | Govt | 62,552 | 53,978 | -8,574 |
| Veterinary College, Hassan | Govt | 61,929 | 54,570 | -7,359 |
| CVAS, Parbhani | Govt | 63,505 | 54,596 | -8,909 |
| Veterinary College, Shivamogga | Govt | 66,582 | 54,845 | -11,737 |
| CVAS, Udgir | Govt | 67,971 | 55,967 | -12,004 |
| CVSc, Proddatur | Govt | 67,070 | 56,784 | -10,286 |
| VCRI, Udumalpet | Govt | not in quota | 56,975 | |
| VCRI, Theni | Govt | not in quota | 57,964 | |
| CVSc, Mamnoor, Warangal | Govt | not in quota | 58,771 | |
| Veterinary College, Gadag | Govt | 68,619 | 59,268 | -9,351 |
| CVSc, Korutla | Govt | 70,232 | 59,702 | -10,530 |
| CVSc & AH, Aizawl | Govt | 70,666 | 60,419 | -10,247 |
| CVSc & AH, Agartala | Govt | 68,195 | 60,982 | -7,213 |
| CVSc & AH, Jalukie | Govt | 72,054 | 62,718 | -9,336 |
| Mahatma Jyotiba Fule College, Chomu | Private | 91,341 | 65,507 | -25,834 |
| Apollo College of Vet Medicine, Jaipur | Private | 93,757 | 67,266 | -26,491 |
| IIVER, Rohtak | Private | 88,863 | 68,361 | -20,502 |
| Arawali Veterinary College, Sikar | Private | 1,05,576 | 74,253 | -31,323 |
| Khalsa College, Amritsar | Private | 83,628 | 77,152 | -6,476 |
| M.B. Veterinary College, Dungarpur | Private | not in quota | 80,604 |
Private colleges closed far lower down. M.B. Veterinary College in Dungarpur closed at 80,604 and Khalsa College in Amritsar at 77,152. Arawali in Sikar closed at 74,253.
Closing ranks fell at 50 of the 57 colleges in the quota both years. Their median closing rank dropped from 52,216 in 2025 to 44,549 in 2026. Fewer students sat NEET in 2026, so the years are not directly comparable.
About 22.09 lakh candidates appeared in NEET-UG 2025 and 12,36,531 qualified, per NTA figures reported by ETV Bharat. In the 2026 re-examination, close to 20 lakh appeared and 11.21 lakh qualified.
Do BVSc seats go vacant?
Yes, and mostly in private colleges. After two rounds of VCI counselling in 2026, 280 of the 858 all-India quota seats were still open for the stray round on 9 September, about 33%.
At the six private colleges in the quota, 83 of 87 seats were still vacant, or 95%. At government colleges, 197 of 771 were vacant, or 26%.
Apollo in Jaipur, Arawali in Sikar, Mahatma Jyotiba Fule in Chomu and IIVER in Rohtak had all 15 of their quota seats still open. M.B. Veterinary College in Dungarpur had all 12 open.
Source: VCI counselling 2026-27, college-wise seat matrix (858 seats) and stray round seat matrix (280 seats), 9 September 2026.
Show the numbers
| Label | Taken by end of Round 2 | Still vacant for stray round |
|---|---|---|
| Government colleges (771 seats) | 574 | 197 |
| Private colleges (87 seats) | 4 | 83 |
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| Category | Seats in quota | Vacant at stray round |
|---|---|---|
| Open (unreserved) | 350 | 114 |
| OBC (non-creamy layer) | 231 | 67 |
| Scheduled Castes | 128 | 49 |
| EWS | 85 | 24 |
| Scheduled Tribes | 64 | 26 |
| Total | 858 | 280 |
The data does not record why seats go unclaimed, but fees are the obvious difference. Students who take a private all-India seat pay that college's own fee; VCI says it has no role in fixing fees.
Rampura Phul, the government college with Rs 1.32 lakh tuition every six months, fits the same pattern. It still had 11 of its 12 quota seats open for the stray round.
Which states are hiring vets, and how many government posts are vacant?
Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Bihar have run the biggest recent hiring drives. Maharashtra PSC advertised 2,795 veterinary officer posts on 25 April 2025, the ministry told the Lok Sabha. Rajasthan advertised 1,100 posts on 17 July 2025, its first such notice since 2019.
Haryana advertised 162 veterinary surgeon posts on 14 January 2026. The state government withdrew the requisition two days later, and HPSC then withdrew the advertisement.
Odisha advertised 436 backlog veterinary assistant surgeon posts on 18 July 2026. Bihar opened applications for 787 touring veterinary officer posts on 24 September 2026. The ministry told the Lok Sabha on 2 December 2025 that 10,474 of 40,603 sanctioned vet doctor posts were vacant, or 25.8%.
Sources: Lok Sabha USQ 1498 of 9 December 2025 for Maharashtra. RPSC, BTSC, HPSC, OPSC and TNPSC notices.
Show the numbers
| Label | posts |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra, April 2025 | 2,795 |
| Rajasthan, July 2025 | 1,100 |
| Bihar, September 2026 | 787 |
| Tamil Nadu, November 2022 | 731 |
| Odisha, July 2026 | 436 |
| Haryana, 2022 | 383 |
| Haryana, January 2026 (withdrawn) | 162 |
| Tamil Nadu, August 2024 | 31 |
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Source: Lok Sabha unstarred question 279, answered 2 December 2025, DAHD. States with 100 or more sanctioned posts; top 14 by vacancy rate.
Show the numbers
| Label | % |
|---|---|
| Gujarat | 55.9% |
| Tripura | 46.3% |
| Manipur | 43.2% |
| Bihar | 41.6% |
| Maharashtra | 38.5% |
| Punjab | 37.1% |
| Rajasthan | 37.0% |
| Mizoram | 34.8% |
| Karnataka | 34.2% |
| Jharkhand | 30.6% |
| Odisha | 25.8% |
| Uttar Pradesh | 21.4% |
| Haryana | 19.2% |
| Madhya Pradesh | 17.3% |
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| State or UT | Registered vets |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 11,257 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 7,421 |
| Tamil Nadu | 6,610 |
| Rajasthan | 5,669 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 5,643 |
| Kerala | 5,395 |
| Karnataka | 5,082 |
| Punjab | 4,947 |
| Gujarat | 4,743 |
| Bihar | 3,586 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 3,266 |
| Assam | 3,208 |
| Odisha | 2,882 |
| West Bengal | 2,724 |
| Haryana | 2,571 |
| Telangana | 2,306 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 1,450 |
| Chhattisgarh | 1,298 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 1,242 |
| Uttarakhand | 1,236 |
| Jharkhand | 972 |
| Puducherry | 592 |
| Delhi | 585 |
| Manipur | 582 |
| Tripura | 558 |
| Meghalaya | 449 |
| Mizoram | 379 |
| Nagaland | 368 |
| Goa | 261 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 245 |
| Sikkim | 191 |
| Ladakh | 77 |
| A&N Island | 66 |
| Lakshadweep | 35 |
| Chandigarh | 13 |
| D&N Haveli and DD | 5 |
| State or UT | Sanctioned posts | Vacant posts | Vacant (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 5,622 | 2,165 | 38.5 |
| Rajasthan | 3,691 | 1,367 | 37.0 |
| Karnataka | 3,317 | 1,136 | 34.2 |
| Gujarat | 1,652 | 923 | 55.9 |
| Bihar | 2,067 | 860 | 41.6 |
| Punjab | 1,508 | 560 | 37.1 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 2,621 | 560 | 21.4 |
| Odisha | 1,480 | 382 | 25.8 |
| Tamil Nadu | 3,465 | 345 | 10.0 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 1,781 | 293 | 16.5 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 1,671 | 289 | 17.3 |
| Jharkhand | 774 | 237 | 30.6 |
| West Bengal | 1,445 | 224 | 15.5 |
| Haryana | 1,126 | 216 | 19.2 |
| Telangana | 1,222 | 190 | 15.5 |
| Tripura | 348 | 161 | 46.3 |
| Assam | 703 | 79 | 11.2 |
| Chhattisgarh | 785 | 69 | 8.8 |
| Manipur | 111 | 48 | 43.2 |
| Kerala | 1,637 | 46 | 2.8 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 1,331 | 42 | 3.2 |
| Mizoram | 115 | 40 | 34.8 |
| Ladakh | 82 | 35 | 42.7 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 466 | 33 | 7.1 |
| Uttarakhand | 461 | 30 | 6.5 |
| Sikkim | 285 | 29 | 10.2 |
| Puducherry | 33 | 28 | 84.8 |
| Goa | 70 | 26 | 37.1 |
| Delhi | 64 | 15 | 23.4 |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 45 | 14 | 31.1 |
| Nagaland | 165 | 14 | 8.5 |
| Lakshadweep | 13 | 12 | 92.3 |
| Dadra Nagar & Haveli; Daman | 4 | 3 | 75.0 |
| Meghalaya | 262 | 3 | 1.1 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 176 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Chandigarh | 5 | 0 | 0.0 |
Maharashtra had the most vacant posts, 2,165 of 5,622, and 150 in Nashik district alone. Rajasthan had 1,367 vacant, Karnataka 1,136 and Bihar 860. Fourteen states and UTs reported the same figures as in January 2023, so the table is partly stale.
Gujarat had 55.9% of posts vacant and Bihar 41.6%. Kerala had just 46 of 1,637 posts vacant, or 2.8%. Our vets per lakh population report has the full state picture.
Why does vet pay and training matter for pet owners?
India had 87,914 registered veterinary practitioners on 31 March 2024, the ministry told the Lok Sabha. Maharashtra had the most, 11,257, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 7,421 and Tamil Nadu with 6,610.
Government vet posts sit in state animal husbandry departments, whose work centres on livestock. Our vet and vaccination cost report compares government hospital and private clinic rate cards. For home visits in rural areas, the 1962 mobile veterinary unit report covers the state ambulance network.
The number of new vets depends on seats and fees. Recognised colleges can admit up to 6,504 BVSc students a year, and 25 more colleges are in the pipeline. For the illnesses those vets see most in dogs, read our report on dog diseases in India.
- BVSc and AH takes five and a half years, including a one-year compulsory internship, per VCI's 2026-27 information bulletin.
- To practise, a vet must register with the state veterinary council or VCI; state recruitment notices ask for this registration.
- Government vets in Delhi and teachers at Goa's new veterinary college get non-practising allowance on top of basic pay.
- VCI's all-India counselling charges a registration fee of Rs 1,000 for general candidates and Rs 500 for SC, ST and PwD candidates.
- The stray round charges a participation fee of Rs 50,000, or Rs 25,000 for SC, ST and PwD candidates. It is forfeited if an allotted seat is not taken.
For the wider pet care economy, including clinic chains and funding, see our pet industry revenue and funding report.
Frequently asked questions
What is the salary of a veterinary doctor in India?
A government veterinary doctor starts on a basic pay of Rs 53,100 to Rs 56,100 a month in the notices we found. Delhi and Chandigarh vets are in Level 10, from Rs 56,100 to Rs 1,77,500. Allowances such as DA and HRA are paid on top of basic pay.
What is a government veterinary doctor's salary in Haryana?
HPSC's veterinary surgeon post is in pay level FPL-9, with basic pay from Rs 53,100 to Rs 1,67,800 a month. HPSC advertised 162 posts on 14 January 2026 but withdrew the advertisement days later. Its previous notice, in December 2022, was for 383 posts.
How many government veterinary colleges are there in India?
VCI's August 2026 list has 73 recognised veterinary colleges, of which 58 are government and 15 private. Government colleges hold 5,204 of the 6,504 seats. A further 25 colleges, 9 of them government, have provisional permission.
What is the BVSc course fee in India?
In 2026-27, yearly BVSc tuition is Rs 12,000 at TANUVAS and Rs 28,000 at LUVAS Hisar. Haryana's private colleges charge Rs 5 lakh a year for state-quota seats. A self-financed seat at GADVASU Ludhiana costs Rs 5 lakh every six months.
What NEET rank is needed for BVSc in a government college?
In VCI's 2026 all-India quota, open seats at government colleges in Round 1 closed at NEET ranks from 26,988 at Madras Veterinary College to 62,718 at Jalukie in Nagaland. Private colleges in the quota closed lower, down to 80,604 at Dungarpur. State quota cutoffs differ and are set by each state's counselling.
How many seats are there in BVSc in India?
The 73 recognised colleges have 6,504 BVSc seats approved by the central government. VCI fills 15% through all-India counselling; in 2026-27 that quota had 858 seats in 64 colleges.
Which state has the most veterinary colleges?
Rajasthan has 11 recognised veterinary colleges with 1,000 seats, the most of any state. Tamil Nadu is next with 7 colleges and 640 seats, all of them government colleges.
Are government veterinary doctor posts vacant in India?
Yes. The ministry told the Lok Sabha in December 2025 that 10,474 of 40,603 sanctioned government vet doctor posts were vacant, about 26%. Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Karnataka had the most vacant posts.
Methodology and limitations
Colleges and seats come from the Veterinary Council of India's List of Recognised Veterinary Colleges, last modified on 7 August 2026. The provisional list is dated 14 May 2026. We keyed in each college, state, sector and seat count, and checked the 73 seats summed to 6,504, matching an automated read of the PDF. VCI marks 13 colleges as private sector. We also count Khalsa College, Amritsar, which GADVASU's prospectus describes as private-sector veterinary education, and Centurion University's college at Gajapati, part of a private university, as private.
All-India quota figures come from VCI's 2026-27 information bulletin and seat matrix and the stray round seat matrix of September 2026. Closing ranks come from the Round 1 results of 14 October 2025 and 24 August 2026. We parsed every allotment row and took the highest rank allotted to an open-category, non-PwD seat at each college as its closing rank.
Salaries come from recruitment notices and orders on official websites: Chandigarh's circular on the DAHD site, Delhi's Development Department, HPSC, BTSC, RPSC, OPSC, TNPSC, Kerala PSC and Goa PSC. We report the pay level and basic pay range exactly as each document states it. Odisha's figures come from OPSC's Advertisement 04 of 2026-27 (notice 4195/PSC, 18 July 2026) and its third corrigendum of 24 September 2026. Scroll reported an earlier 2025 OPSC notice for 506 posts, which we did not use.
Fees come from the 2026-27 prospectuses of TANUVAS, LUVAS and GADVASU. Yearly tuition for GADVASU doubles its six-monthly figure. State-wise vacancies and registered vets come from Lok Sabha unstarred question 279 of 2 December 2025, the latest state-wise table we found.
Sources
- Veterinary Council of India, List of Recognized Veterinary Colleges (updated August 2026), 73 colleges, 6,504 seats, sector by college
- Veterinary Council of India, Information Bulletin for 15% all-India quota counselling 2026-27 (14 August 2026), 858 quota seats, seat matrix, course length, registration fees
- LUVAS Hisar, Prospectus UG and PG Programmes 2026-27, Hisar fees, Haryana private college fees and seats
- Also consulted: VCI, List of Provisionally Recognized Veterinary Colleges (as on 14 May 2026), VCI counselling, Round 1 allotment result 2026-27 (24 August 2026), VCI counselling, Round 1 allotment result 2025 (14 October 2025), VCI counselling, Stray round seat matrix 2026-27 (September 2026), GADVASU Ludhiana, Prospectus 2026-27, TANUVAS, UG Prospectus 2026-27 (22 May 2026), Chandigarh UT Administration, Veterinary Officer posts on deputation, circulated on the DAHD website (January 2025), Development Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, appointment order (2026), HPSC Advt 21/2026, Veterinary Surgeon (14 January 2026), HPSC announcement withdrawing Advt 21/2026 (20 January 2026), HPSC Advt 41/2022, Veterinary Surgeon, Bihar Technical Service Commission, Advt 27/2026 (24 September 2026), Odisha Public Service Commission, Advt 04 of 2026-27, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon (notice 4195/PSC, 18 July 2026; Advertisements page), RPSC Advt 04/2025-26, Veterinary Officer (17 July 2025), and Corrigendum 01/2026-27, TNPSC Notification 34/2022 (18 November 2022), TNPSC Notification 12/2024 (30 August 2024), Kerala PSC, Ranked List 929/2025, Veterinary Surgeon Gr II, Goa PSC Advt 03/2026 (13 March 2026), Lok Sabha unstarred question 279 (2 December 2025), DAHD, Lok Sabha unstarred question 1498 (9 December 2025), DAHD, Lok Sabha unstarred question 4570 (28 March 2023), DAHD, Lok Sabha unstarred question 3018 (8 August 2023), DAHD, ETV Bharat (14 June 2025), citing NTA, ETV Bharat (July 2026), citing NTA.
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