Master of Veterinary Science [MVSc] Course Admission, Eligibility, Fees 2027-2028

Content Curator | Updated On - Oct 28, 2026

Master of Veterinary Science [MVSc] is a two-year postgraduate degree in veterinary science, regulated by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and run by the state veterinary universities and the agricultural universities. It runs in four semesters with a research dissertation, and the specialisation is chosen from animal genetics, nutrition, microbiology, pathology, public health, surgery and more. Admission is through the ICAR entrance or the state test, with a scholarship for the candidates who qualify GPAT.

Master of Veterinary Science [MVSc] Course Outcomes

Key point	Course outcome
Research in the discipline	Frame a question in your specialisation, design the study, collect the data and publish the work.
Laboratory skill	Handle the animal, the sample and the instrument with care, and keep the record of every step of the test.
Reading the literature	Know the work already done in your field, and judge a new paper on its method rather than on its claim.
Public health and the field	Work at the herd, the flock and the food chain level, where the veterinary work of the country is actually done.
Teaching	Teach the undergraduate veterinary students at the college level, and supervise the research of the younger scholars.
Ethics and the animal	Work within the rules on the use of the animal in research, and treat the welfare of the animal as part of the method.

Table of Contents

MVSc Highlights and Specialisations
MVSc Course Details
MVSc Eligibility Criteria
MVSc Admission Procedure
MVSc Entrance Exams and GPAT
MVSc Syllabus Semester Wise
MVSc Career Scope and Opportunities
Top MVSc Colleges in India
MVSc Scholarships and Fellowships
MVSc Frequently Asked Questions

MVSc Highlights and Specialisations

The Master of Veterinary Science is a professional and a research degree. The veterinary undergraduate already carries the practice; the master adds the depth in one subject, the method of research, and the habit of reading the literature critically.

Particular	Details
Full form	Master of Veterinary Science
Level	Postgraduate degree in veterinary science
Regulator	Indian Council of Agricultural Research, with the Veterinary Council of India and the state veterinary university awarding the degree
Duration	Two years in four semesters, with the research work and the dissertation in the second year
Admission	The ICAR entrance test, the entrance test of the state veterinary university, or a valid GPAT score
Structure	The core papers, the specialisation papers, the practical work, the field and the clinical postings, and the dissertation
Thesis	A research dissertation on a question from the field, with the publication of the papers and the viva voce
Progression	A Ph.D. in the discipline, or the lectureship route with the National Eligibility Test

Specialisations on offer

Area	What you study
Animal genetics and breeding	The genetics of the livestock, the selection, the crossbreeding and the conservation of the indigenous breeds
Animal nutrition	The requirement of the animal, the feed, the ration formulation and the nutritional disorders
Animal physiology	The function of the body, the endocrine system, the reproduction and the stress of the farm animal
Dairy science	The milking, the processing, the quality control and the management of the dairy farm
Livestock production and management	The management of the cattle, the buffalo, the goat and the pig, and the economics of the farm
Veterinary microbiology	The bacteria, the virus, the fungi and the parasites of the animal, and the diagnosis
Veterinary pathology	The disease process, the tissue changes, the post mortem and the diagnosis
Veterinary public health	The zoonotic disease, the food safety, the inspection and the control at the source
Veterinary surgery and radiology	The surgery of the animal, the imaging, the anaesthesia and the postoperative care
Veterinary pharmacology and toxicology	The drugs, the dose, the residue and the effect of the poison on the animal
Veterinary parasitology	The parasites of the animal, the life cycle, the diagnosis and the control
Veterinary gynaecology and obstetrics	The reproduction, the breeding, the infertility and the surgery of the reproductive tract

MVSc Course Details

The two years are spent mostly in the department, at the bench and in the field. The first year carries the papers of the specialisation and the practicals, and the second year carries the research, the postings and the dissertation.

What the programme covers

Area	What you learn
Biostatistics and research methods	The design of the experiment, the analysis of the data and the writing of the paper
Biochemistry and physiology of the animal	The chemistry of the tissue, the function of the organ and the effect of the stress
The specialisation papers	The theory of the branch, taught by the faculty who work in it
Practical and laboratory work	The technique of the branch, the instrument, the sample and the diagnostic procedure
Field and clinical postings	The work in the farm, the dairy, the abattoir, the hospital and the field, with the postings counted
The dissertation	The research question, the work, the papers and the viva voce at the end

Who suits this course

A liking for the animal and for the work that never looks finished
A methodical temperament, because the laboratory result depends on the care
An interest in the farm and the herd rather than only in the clinic
The willingness to work in a district, a village and a slaughter house as well as in the laboratory

MVSc Eligibility Criteria

MVSc eligibility particulars	Requirements
Qualifying examination	The Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree from a recognised veterinary university, or the veterinary science degree declared equivalent to it
Minimum marks	At least 55 percent in the qualifying degree, with a relaxation of 5 percent for the reserved categories at most universities
Relaxation for GPAT	A valid GPAT score usually carries a relaxation of five percent on the aggregate, and the fellowship that goes with it
Intermediate route	Several states admit candidates who have passed Class 12 with physics, chemistry and biology into the first year of the veterinary degree, which is followed by the master
Entrance examination	The ICAR entrance test, or the entrance test that the state veterinary university runs for its own seats
Physical fitness	A medical fitness certificate is required, and the work of the course involves handling the animal
Age limit	No upper age limit is fixed for the postgraduate seats at most universities

The degree that counts is the Bachelor of Veterinary Science, and it has to be a recognised one. The veterinary science degrees of the animal science and the life science departments are not the same qualification, and the admission notice names the accepted degrees.

Keep your mark sheets, the degree certificate and the registration certificate ready
Have the GPAT score card and the entrance score card downloaded before the admission closes
Check whether the university runs its own entrance test for the MVSc seats
Confirm the postings attached to the course, because they take a large share of the time

Official references: National Testing Agency examination portal, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, National Scholarship Portal.

MVSc Admission Procedure

The seats of the ICAR universities and the state veterinary universities are filled in two ways, through the national entrance and through the state counselling. The steps below cover the common sequence.

Step	What students should do
1. Check the notification	Read the notice of the university for the specialisations on offer, the number of seats, the entrance test and the scholarship conditions.
2. Register for the test	Apply for the ICAR entrance or for the state test, pay the application fee and note the reporting date.
3. Sit the examination	Appear for the test, and carry the GPAT score card where the university accepts it.
4. Take part in counselling	Join the counselling of the state or the ICAR allotment, and confirm the college, the branch and the seat.
5. Submit the documents	Upload the mark sheets, the degree certificate, the registration certificate and the category papers.
6. Join the college	Report to the department, complete the registration and begin the coursework of the specialisation.

Documents required

Mark sheets, transcripts and the degree certificate of the Bachelor of Veterinary Science
The registration or the provisional registration certificate from the veterinary council
Entrance test score card and the counselling allotment letter
GPAT score card, where the admission is on that route
Category, disability or economic weaker section certificate where applicable

MVSc Entrance Exams and GPAT

Exam or route	Conducting body	Where it applies
ICAR entrance test for the agricultural universities	National Testing Agency	The national entrance used for the postgraduate seats of the universities under the agricultural research system
State veterinary university entrance	The state veterinary university	The entrance run by the state university for its own colleges and for the affiliated veterinary colleges
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering	National Testing Agency	Not the route for this degree, but the pattern of the national test and the scholarship that comes with it
Common university entrance test	National Testing Agency	Accepted by the universities that have taken the postgraduate entrance into the common system

GPAT is the one to watch. A valid score in the Graduate Aptitude Test in Agriculture and Animal Science is accepted by the agricultural universities for the admission to the postgraduate programmes, and it carries a monthly stipend for the period of the degree.

Where a state runs its own test, the marks of the state test decide the seat and the GPAT is used for the scholarship alone. Read the notice, because universities differ on which of the two they accept for the seat itself.

MVSc Syllabus Semester Wise

The structure below is the common one for the postgraduate veterinary programmes. The paper titles and the postings are set by the university, and the specialisation papers differ from branch to branch.

Semester	Main papers
Semester 1	The core papers of the branch, the specialisation papers, biostatistics and research methodology, the practical work of the branch and the first field or clinical posting
Semester 2	The advanced papers of the specialisation, the practical work, the laboratory or the clinical posting, and the plan of the research work with the supervisor
Semester 3	The research work in the laboratory or in the field, the papers of the specialisation, the second posting, and the writing of the first paper
Semester 4	The completion of the research, the writing of the thesis, the publication of the papers and the viva voce before the examiners

What the dissertation has to show

A question from the field rather than a topic taken from the textbook
A method that another veterinary scientist could repeat
The ethical clearance where the study uses the animal
At least one paper published or accepted in a journal of the field

MVSc Career Scope and Opportunities

The veterinary master leads into the specialist roles, the teaching posts and the research positions. Posting and pay depend on the employer and on the sector, so no fixed salary is quoted here.

Work area	Typical work	Useful preparation
Teaching and research	Teaching the undergraduate veterinary students and running the research in the department	A doctorate and the National Eligibility Test for a lectureship
Veterinary practice	The clinical work in a hospital, a mixed practice or a dairy farm	The clinical postings and the specialisation papers
Dairy and livestock industry	The herd health, the milk quality, the feed and the production planning of a farm	The livestock production and the dairy papers
Public health and the food chain	The control of the zoonotic disease, the inspection of the abattoir and the food safety	The public health papers and the regulatory rules
Pharmaceutical and feed industry	The technical and regulatory work for a company that makes the veterinary product or the feed	The pharmacology, the pathology and the regulatory knowledge
Government and the public sector	The posts in the animal husbandry department, the veterinary services and the disease control programmes	The qualification and the competitive examination of the body
Laboratories and diagnostics	The running of a diagnostic laboratory and the reporting of the result	The microbiology, the pathology and the laboratory technique

Higher studies after MVSc

The degree leads to a Ph.D. in the discipline, and in some universities to an integrated doctorate from the master itself. For a lectureship in a veterinary college, the doctorate together with the National Eligibility Test is the usual route.

Top MVSc Colleges in India

The veterinary universities and colleges below run the programme and are listed on Zollege. This is not a ranking, and the list changes with every admission. Check the specialisations on offer, the entrance route, the posting rules and the published fee notice before you apply.

Institutes	Other institutes
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi	Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi
Annamalai University, Chidambaram	Alagappa University, Karaikudi
Goa University	Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad
Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar	Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur

The veterinary universities under the agricultural research system sit alongside these, and they run the specialist degrees and the research fellowships in their own fields. The National Dairy Research Institute, the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, the National Animal Disease Research Centre and the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute are the names to look for when the branch is dairy, animal disease or fisheries research.

How MVSc fees compare

A veterinary university funded by the state charges a fee fixed by the state, and a private university publishes a fee of its own. The published notice normally separates the components below, and the postings add the travel and the stay that the district placements ask for.

Fee element	What it covers
Application and entrance fee	The entrance examination, the counselling and the document verification
Course fee	The tuition, the supervision, the practicals and the examination of the two-year programme
Laboratory and field costs	The reagents, the animals, the instruments and the travel of the field and the clinical postings
Caution deposit	A refundable deposit held by the university

For a broader search, see the Master of Veterinary Science course page and the common university entrance test page.

MVSc Scholarships and Fellowships

The main funding for the veterinary postgraduate study comes from the research fellowship schemes of the national agricultural system, and from the scholarships that the universities award on the strength of the entrance score.

Scheme	Who can apply	Benefit
Graduate Aptitude Test for Agriculture and Animal Science fellowship	Candidates who qualify GPAT and are admitted to a postgraduate programme	A monthly stipend for the period of the degree
ICAR research scholarship for the postgraduate students	Candidates admitted to the programmes of the universities under the agricultural research system	A stipend for the research work of the second year
Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students	Candidates in regular mode who are not availing another scholarship, with family income up to INR 4.5 Lakhs	Part of the daily study cost, paid through direct benefit transfer to the Aadhaar seeded bank account
Central Sector Scholarship of Top Class Education for SC Students	Scheduled Caste students admitted to institutions empanelled by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment	Financial support for study beyond Class 12
PM YASASVI central sector scholarship for OBC, EBC and DNT students	Students in those categories admitted to empanelled institutions	Financial support for higher studies
State scholarship and institute concession	Students admitted under a state reservation quota, and students who rank high on the university merit list	Tuition fee support or a cash award under the rules of the state or the institution

Apply for the fellowship and the admission together, because most universities give preference to the candidates who already hold a scholarship. Keep the mark sheets, the income proof and the category certificate ready for the National Scholarship Portal as well.

MVSc Frequently Asked Questions

Ques. What is Master of Veterinary Science?

Ans: It is a two-year postgraduate degree in veterinary science, regulated by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and awarded by the veterinary universities. It combines the papers of a specialisation with laboratory work, postings and a research dissertation.

Ques. How long does the MVSc course take?

Ans: The degree runs for two years in four semesters. The first year carries the papers, the practicals and the first posting, and the second year carries the research, the second posting and the writing of the thesis with its viva voce.

Ques. What is the eligibility for MVSc?

Ans: You need the Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree from a recognised veterinary university with at least 55 percent, and a relaxation of 5 percent for the reserved categories. A valid GPAT score usually carries the same relaxation with it.

Ques. Which entrance exam is used for MVSc?

Ans: The ICAR entrance test and the entrance test of the state veterinary university are the two routes. A valid GPAT score is accepted by the agricultural universities for the seat and carries a stipend for the whole period of the degree.

Ques. What specialisations are available in MVSc?

Ans: The common ones are animal genetics and breeding, animal nutrition, animal physiology, dairy science, livestock production and management, veterinary microbiology, pathology, public health, surgery and radiology, and gynaecology and obstetrics.

Ques. What subjects are covered in the MVSc syllabus?

Ans: The core papers, the specialisation papers, biostatistics and research methodology, the practical work of the branch, the field and clinical postings, and the research dissertation with the publication of the papers in the second year.

Ques. What career options are open after MVSc?

Ans: Teaching and research in a veterinary college, the clinical practice, the dairy and the livestock industry, the public health and the food chain work, the pharmaceutical and feed industry, the government animal husbandry posts and the diagnostic laboratories.

Ques. Is a GPAT score compulsory for MVSc admission?

Ans: No. It is accepted by the agricultural universities and it carries a stipend, and the state veterinary universities run their own entrance for the rest of the seats. It is worth holding the score even when the state test decides the seat.

Ques. How much does MVSc cost?

Ans: A state veterinary university charges a fee fixed by the state, and a private university publishes a fee of its own. The notice separates the tuition, the laboratory and the field costs and the refundable deposit, and the postings add the travel and the stay.