(Prayer: Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to issue a Writ or Order or Direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus, declaring the action of the 2nd Respondent in issuing proceedings dated 21-12- 2022 that the DVM Degree awarded by Saint Petersburg State Academy of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Petersburg, Russia is not recognized veterinary qualification as not included in the second schedule of the IVC Act, 1984 as arbitrary, illegal, irrational, discriminatory and violative of Articles 14 and 19(1) (g) of the Constitution of India, and pass

IA NO: 1 OF 2023

Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased to direct the Respondent to consider to issue recognition to the degree of veterinary medicine (DVM Degree) awarded by St. Petersburg State University of Veterinary Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia issued in favour of the petitioner and pass)

1. Heard.

2. The petitioner enrolled in the Veterinary Medicine program at St. Petersburg State Academy in 2017 and completed his degree on June 29, 2022. He has applied for the registration of a practice certificate with the second respondent.

3. On 21.12.2022, the second respondent rejected the DVM qualification awarded by Saint Petersburg State University of Veterinary Medicine, stating that the qualification from 'St. Petersburg State University of Veterinary Medicine’ is not recognised under the Act. As a result, the student is deemed ineligible for registration under the Indian Veterinary Council Act, 1984 (for short “the IVC Act, 1984”). Questioning this, the present writ petition was filed.

4. Section 2(a), 2(e), and 2(g) of the IVC Act, 1984 are provided as follows:

                  (a) “Council” means the Veterinary Council of India established under Section 3;

                  (e) “recognised veterinary qualification” means any of the veterinary qualifications included in the First Schedule or the Second Schedule;

                  (g) “registered veterinary practitioner” means a person whose name is for the time being duly registered in a register;

5. In 1994, the Leningrad Veterinary Institute was renamed into Saint Petersburg State Academy of Veterinary Medicine. The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy, and Fishery ranks at Saint Petersburg State Academy of Veterinary Medicine, located in Saint Petersburg, Russia, at Sr. No. 13 in the Second Schedule of the Act. In 2020, the Saint Petersburg State Academy of Veterinary Medicine was renamed into Saint Petersburg State University of Veterinary Medicine.

6. Furthermore, the petitioner completed his course on 29.06.2022 with registration No.25157, and the college issued a degree certificate in the name of Saint Petersburg State University of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Petersburg, Russia. The respondents rejected the petitioner's case, citing that the college's name was not included in the Second Schedule of the IVC Act, 1984.

7. Section 16 of the IVC Act, 1984 is provided as follows:

                  “Recognition of veterinary qualifications granted by veterinary institutions in countries with which there is a scheme of reciprocity- (1) The veterinary qualifications granted by veterinary institutions outside India which are included in the Second Schedule shall be recognised veterinary qualifications for the purposes of this Act.

                  (2) The Council may enter into negotiations with the authority in any country outside India which by the law of such country is entrusted with the maintenance of a register of practitioners, for the setting a Mary qualifications and in pursuance of any such scheme the Central Government may by Notification in the Official Gazette, amend the Second Schedule so as to include therein the Veterinary qualification which the Council has decided should be recognised, any such notification may also direct that an entry shall be made in the last column of the Second Schedule against such veterinary qualification declaring that it shall be a recognised veterinary qualification only when granted after a specified date.

                  (3) The Central Government after consultation with the Counsel may, by notification in the Official Gazette, amend the Second Schedule by directing that an entry be made therein in respect of any veterinary qualification declaring that it shall be a recognised veterinary qualification only when granted before a specified date.

                  (4) Where the Council has refused to recommend any veterinary qualification which has been proposed for recognition by any authority referred to in sub-section (2) and the authority applies to the Central Government in this behalf, the Central Government, after considering such application and after obtaining from the Council a report, if any, as to the reasons for any such refusal may by notification in the Official Gazette, amend the Second Schedule so as to include such qualification therein and the provisions of sub-section (2) shall apply to such notification.”

8. The Veterinary Council of India is a statutory body under the Department of Animal Husbandry, established by the IVC Act, 1984, its purpose is to regulate veterinary practice and education across the country, along with related matters.

9. When the matter was under consideration, the third respondent, through its letter No. 109/AHF56/APSVC/A/Russia-APSVC/2025 dated September 10, 2025, clarified that the second respondent should take an appropriate decision to amend the second schedule to include or specify the qualifications/certificate issued by the St. Petersburg University, Russia recoginised by VCI India.

10. Further, a candidate by the name of Dr. Kandimamilla Anil Rai, who studied at the same Academy, was issued a practice certificate by the third respondent. This certificate is valid until March 31, 2027.

11. The learned counsel for the petitioner has relied on the citation of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Apollo College of Veterinary Medicine Vs. Rajasthan State Veterinary Council and Others (Civil Appeal No.6842 of 2014 dated 25.07.2014) wherein it was held that Central Government recognition is mandatory for a college’s degree to be valid for professional registration. The Court overturned prior High Court judgments, directed the Government to include Apollo College in the First Schedule, and established rules for students already admitted.

12. The citation previously mentioned applies to students who studied in India, not abroad. The primary issue concerns the discrepancy between the institution name at the time of the petitioner's enrollment and the name on the final degree certificate issued by Saint Petersburg State University of Veterinary Medicine in Russia. The petitioner must demonstrate that the Saint Petersburg Academy is a recognised institution equivalent to Saint Petersburg University and that this change did not impact the course's accreditation status during his enrolment.

13. The petitioner has submitted a web copy containing information about Saint Petersburg State University without official certificates or letters from the Russian Authorities of Education and the University itself that explicitly confirm the renaming of Saint Petersburg Academy to Saint Petersburg State University of Veterinary Medicine, Russia, and the transfer of its accreditations and recognitions. This Court cannot accept the information as submitted in its current form.

14. Therefore, the Writ Petition is disposed of by setting aside the impugned proceedings dated 21-12-2022, by directing the petitioner to produce relevant material with regard to change of academy to that of Saint Petersburg University before the 2nd respondent, within a period of six (6) weeks from the date of receipt of copy of the order. Thereafter, the 2nd respondent shall consider and pass appropriate orders within a period of eight (8) weeks and the respondents are further directed to give an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner before a decision is taken by the 2nd respondent. No order as to costs.

                  Consequently, Miscellaneous Applications pending, if any, shall stand closed.