ONE-YEAR POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA ON ANIMAL PROTECTION

About the Course Programme

Human dependence on animals, in this vein, is a matter charted in history since civilization began, with humans and a plethora of species adapting with each other to share a common space on the planet. However, with the changes in development standards across the world, human choices and incumbent behaviour have overlooked the impact it has on the environment and its dependent beings.

“Animal law," includes in its aegis the issues that affect humans and animals alike and enfolds the concepts of “animal welfare,” and “animal rights.” One of the fastest growing fields of legal practice, animal law may involve issues of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, consumer protection law, etc. The unifying factor within this field of practice is its underlying substance of the matter which addresses the interests of animals themselves.

Through this program NALSAR aims to create lawyers catering and specializing in the legal aspects of animal laws in India, as well as, internationally recognised laws. Our course participants would not only have a sound and strong foundation on legal and jurisprudential patterns of animals rights and animal welfare issues but also will be well-equipped to handle practical and contemporary aspects and challenges faced on the ground, with respect to cruelty towards animals, policy development and litigation in ancillary matters regarding animals.

The curriculum of the programme is tailor-made to meet the professional needs of animal welfare activists,individuals in fields of policy development, research institutes and litigation.It includes education on legal aspects in relation to the rights of animals so that the trained professionals are well equipped to deal with legal issues. A lawyer who is traditionally endowed with a rational mind can perform this role in the form of an animal law professional who can serve in the capacities of public interest lawyer, animal rights activist or even a compassionate citizen.

The primary focus of the course is to garner the substance and principles of existing Indian laws as it addresses animals and those who work with them, to understand the links between cruelty to animals and violent, delinquent, and criminal behaviour and acquire legal knowledge to adequately prosecute animal cruelty cases. The aim is to assess the possibilities of using various legal concepts and tools to manage human-animal interactions and create rights for the animals.

Thus, NALSAR through its Animal Law Centre (ALC) offers the unique Programme of Post-Graduate Diploma on Animal Protection.

Eligibility :

a. Bachelor’s Degree or an equivalent Degree in any discipline from any recognized University; or

b. Candidates appearing for the final year examination of Graduation are also eligible to apply; or

c. Candidates who complete three years of their 5-year integrated LLB Degree programme in Law are also eligible to apply.

Admission Procedure

Direct Admission subject to fulfilment of the eligibility criteria for the said course.

Course Duration

The duration of the programme is one year and the maximum period for completion of the programme is three years including the year of admission subject to payment of Continuation Fee as per the University Rules.

Fee Structure :

Course fee : Rs. 30,000/-

• Convocation fee will be charged separately as per the University Rules.
• Re-peat exam fee / Supplementary Exam fee will be charged @ Rs.500/- per paper
• Continuation fee beyond the minimum duration of the course till the maximum period is Rs.5000/- per year for Master’s Programme and Rs.3000/- per year for Post-Graduate Diploma Programmes.
• Boarding & Lodging charges at campus (subject to availability) during classes / exam will be extra as per the University Rules.

Note: The University reserves the right to revise the Fee structure from time to time.

Course Structure

The course syllabus is broadly divided into 4 subjects.

Conduct of the programme

Print Media – The candidates will be provided with the print copies of reading materials prepared by Subject experts. The reading material covers the detailed syllabi of the course. Such materials have to be supplemented by the candidate with their own readings in the internet or other available materials.

Online Support - A dedicated website www.dde.nalsar.ac.in has been registered. The candidates will get the services 24 hours throughout the year to access the soft copy of the reading materials, the power point presentations and video lectures of the contact seminar classes and previous year question papers which will be uploaded in the website. The web site will be the main delivery system in terms of updating information on the subject. The access to the website will be deactivated after the completion of the course duration and will be revived on continuation of the course after payment of the Continuation fee.

Personal Contact Programme - Personal Contact Programme will be held for four days, twice during the course on weekends at Hyderabad. The attendance to PCP is not compulsory, but it is strongly advisable to the candidates to attend the same, as they are important to understand and successfully complete the course. The recorded videos of the classes will be uploaded on the dedicated website for the convenience of the candidates who could not attend the classes.

Evaluation Scheme

Based on these 4 subjects examination in 4 papers is held for 100 marks each.

Award of Grades

The performance of the students would be evaluated on with corresponding grades as mentioned below:

A student to be successful should obtain a minimum of 50% marks or the equivalent grade, i.e., B in every subject. However, the candidate who fails to obtain the minimum grade (i.e., B) shall be given chance(s) to re-appear for the examination whenever the same is conducted till the completion of the maximum period, i.e., three years from the date of admission on payment of repeat examination fee and Continuation Fee as prescribed.

Award of the PG Diploma

A student to be eligible for the award of the PG Diploma should complete all courses obtaining at least 50% marks or the equivalent grade, i.e., B in every subject.

A student admitted to the program has to complete all the prescribed requirements within a maximum period of three years from and including the year of admission in order to be eligible for the award of the PG Diploma.

Procedure for Re-counting / Re-evaluation

The candidates desiring of revaluation have to apply along with re-evaluation fee within 15 days from the date of declaration of results by written submission to the Director. On receipt of request for revaluation, the paper would be sent to subject expert other than the evaluator and the results of the same will be communicated within 45 days. The Re-evaluation result is final and there will be no further appeal to the same.

No candidate who has secured 50 marks or above in the examination is allowed to re-appear in the examination or apply for re-evaluation for improving marks / grade.

The recounting of the paper would be done without collecting any fee but on the written request to the Director by the candidate.

Misconduct Rules

The Vice Chancellor on the report and recommendation of the Course Co-ordinator can cancel the registration of a candidate and also debar them from examinations and further enrollment if he or she is found to be indulging in abusive, unruly behavior with the faculty or staff of the University. Such behaviors will also include abusive mails, phone calls or defamatory posts or blogs.

The NALSAR University Academic Mis-Conduct Regulations, as approved by the Executive Council of the University will apply suitably for the students enrolled for this programme.

Refund of Fee in case of withdrawal of admission

In case of withdrawal before the commencement of face to face contact sessions, 10% of the course fee / Course fee for the first year shall be retained by the University towards administrative charges;

In respect of students who withdraw their candidature after the first round of face to face contact sessions, total course fee / total course fee  shall be retained by the University towards administrative charges.

ONE-YEAR POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA ON ANIMAL PROTECTION

Faculty

Nuggehalli Jayasimha
Managing Director, Humane Society
International/India
Honorary Director of Animal Law Centre, NALSAR

Nuggehalli Jayasimha is the Managing Director of Humane Society International/India based in the city of Hyderabad and the Honorary Director of Animal Law Centre, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad. Jayasimha manages HIS/India’s programs in India related to farm animal welfare, wildlife and animals used in research, as well as several country-wide campaigns.

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Jayasimha has previously served as of the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and is currently the member of the Maharashtra State Animal Welfare Board. He has also served as a member of the legal, editorial and drafting committee of the AWBI to suggest amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals act of 1960 and serves on the advisory committee of the National Institute of Animal Welfare. Jayasimha received a law degree from Bangalore University and is enrolled as an advocate at the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa.

Alokparna Sengupta
Deputy director, Humane Society
International/India

Alokparna Sengupta is the Deputy director for Humane Society International/India. She has worked with the Government of India to successfully persuade them to ban the testing of animals for cosmetics and the import of animal-tested cosmetics in India. Having obtained a degree of Masters in Science (M.Sc.) for Biotechnology from Osmania University in Hyderabad and worked in Thomson Reuters for two years,

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she started her career in Animal Welfare as a volunteer at the Blue Cross of Hyderabad. Before joining Humane Society International/India, she worked at the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organization (FIAPO) for FIAPO and HSI/India’s joint work on Toxicity Testing in India. She stays in Hyderabad with her husband, playing mother to canine Inky and feline Awwwly.

Sumanth Bindumadhav
Wildlife Management Professional

Sumanth Bindumadhav is a nature education and wildlife management professional with close to twenty years of experience in the field. Though an engineer by qualification, he started working with wildlife in the form of rescue and rehabilitation at the age of 12. After completing his graduation, he, along with two others, started running his own organisation focussing solely on institutionalising wildlife conflict response in the state of Karnataka as well as large scale education and awareness program on co-habiting with wildlife in rural parts of the state.

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Further, the organization successfully trained hundreds of officers in the Home Guards and Civil Defence of the state to be efficient first responders to wildlife in instances of natural disaster and continues to do so.

In his current role as Campaign Manager for Wildlife for Humane Society International/India, he leads the organisations to work on humane human-wildlife conflict management, illegal wildlife trade, olive ridley turtle conservation and capacity building. He has served as faculty for various state judicial academies and the National Judicial Academy as well as trained scores of officers from the police and forest department of several states in wildlife laws. Further, he has also trained many private organisations and individuals in animal laws leading to the creation of a pool of animal welfare officers.

Shreya Paropkari
Lawyer and Volunteer, Animal Shelters

Since the age of 11, Shreya Paropkari has volunteered at animal shelters and with various animal welfare organisations, to rescue, foster, re-home animals, respond to animal cruelty in accordance with the legal process. A lawyer by qualification, Shreya has been the Manager of HSI/India’s Cruelty Response Department since June 2015-2017.

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Her responsibilities also include lobbying for policy change, capacity building of law enforcement agencies, judiciary and grass-roots activists, to tackle animal cruelty and abuse. In this capacity, Shreya has achieved favourable orders implementation of the prohibition on animal fights in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Assam, and Goa. She has also contributed to the development and notification of various Rules under the PCA Act.