RKA had no mandate for it, says Animal Husbandry Dept.
With the Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog having cancelled its “indigenous cow science” examination after widespread criticism about its promotion of faux claims and pseudoscience, the Animal Husbandry Department mentioned the two-year outdated physique had “no mandate” to conduct such an examination. Any future consciousness programme could be performed “on a scientific foundation”, the senior official overseeing the RKA informed The Hindu.
Under the management of its chairman Vallabhbhai Kathiria, the RKA had introduced a nationwide “Kamdhenu Gau Vigyan Prachar Prasar Exam” to be held on February 25. Reference supplies for the examination made numerous unscientific claims, together with that the dung of indigenous cows protected towards radioactivity, and that their milk has traces of gold, and that cow slaughter causes earthquakes. The RKA had the backing of the University Grants Commission (UGC), which publicised the examination, inflicting widespread outrage.
“This gau vigyan (cow science) programme was introduced by the then chairman, Mr. Kathiria. And his time period was as much as February 20 solely. Before leaving the workplace, he postponed it,” mentioned O.P. Chaudhary, joint secretary within the Animal Husbandry Department which oversees the RKA. Mr. Kathiria didn’t reply to calls or requests for touch upon the postponement.
‘No function’
“Until date, the Ministry was not concerned. Only Mr. Kathiria was concerned and he was conducting the examination. Ministry doesn’t know the examination paper and didn’t play any function within the reference materials for the examination…We will now study all the things on a scientific foundation, after which take some resolution,” Dr. Chaudhary informed The Hindu.
He mentioned that when the RKA was arrange in February 2019, it was given a mandate as an advisory physique on points associated to the safety, conservation and growth of the indigenous cow and its progeny.
“Awareness programme is all the time a part of the function, no problem. But conduction of an examination is one thing totally different. AICTE, UGC, all these our bodies take [conduct] exams. Taking examination isn’t the mandate of the RKA. Creation of consciousness is actually the mandate, nevertheless it have to be on a scientific foundation,” he added.
After analyzing the scenario, the Ministry will appoint a brand new chairperson for the RKA and ship recent info to those that had already registered for the examination, mentioned Dr. Chaudhary.
