Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research (RIVER) (formerly "Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences" - RAGACOVAS is a veterinary college in Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry), India. Founded in 1994 in accordance to the standards of veterinary education in India, set by the Veterinary Council of India, the college is affiliated to the Pondicherry University. It is an educational institute for imparting undergraduate and masters specializations in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry, as well as having a veterinary hospital/clinic providing veterinary health care in the region.
The college was inaugurated on the auspicious day of Vijayadasami that fell on 14 October 1994 at a rented building at Ponlait, Kurumbapet, Puducherry and christened as the Pondicherry Veterinary College. The college first batch was 30 students. The campus was spread out at two locations, with classrooms at the Ponlait campus and laboratory facilities at the Krishi Vignan Kendra campus.
Pondicherry Veterinary College was rechristened as the Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, named after Rajiv Gandhi, in a state function presided over by Ms. Sonia Gandhi. In due time, a full-fledged 59-acre (240,000 m2) campus was established adjoining the Krishi Vignan Kendra campus at Kurumbapet, Puducherry. In 2013, RAGACOVAS was renamed as RIVER (Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research).
The clinical training facility was established after a Veterinary Hospital run by the Animal Husbandry Department of Puducherry State Government was taken over by the college to establish a full-fledged teaching hospital for imparting clinical training to the students.
This college, also known as RAGACOVAS in the abbreviated form, was recognized by the Veterinary Council of India on 25 November 1999 and the first batch of students passed out with 25 graduates and their Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (B.V.Sc and A.H.) degrees recognized by and included under the first schedule of the Indian Veterinary Council (IVC) act.
The college has 56 faculties mentoring students in 18 academic departments. RAGACOVAS is now offering Masters in Veterinary Science (M.V.Sc.) degrees also. Know more…
