India Phases Out Dissection

The University Grants Commission, which oversees and funds Indian universities, has decided to replace animal dissection in classrooms with computer software simulations for students. The new ruling requests that professors use plastic replicas or computer-generated dissections instead of using frogs, rats, or other animals. While some scientists argue that students should not obtain a degree in biology without hands-on experience, India is following a current trend in the United Kingdom and the United States to move toward ending the use of animal dissection in universities. The decision will save an estimated 19 million animals such as rabbits, mice, monkeys, and guinea pigs, and will affect 2.5 million students in India.