14. Experiments on animals.―Nothing contained in this Act shall render unlawful the
performance of experiments (including experiments involving operations) on animals for the purpose
of advancement by new discovery of physiological knowledge or of knowledge which will be useful
for saving or for prolonging life or alleviating suffering or for combating any disease, whether of
human beings, animals or plants.
1. Subs. by Act 26 of 1982, s. 11, for “doom dev” (w.e.f. 30-7-1982).
2. Ins. by s.12, ibid. (w.e.f. 30-7-1982).
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15. Committee for control and supervision of experiments on animals.―(1) If at any time, on
the advice of the Board, the Central Government is of opinion that it is necessary so to do for the
purpose of controlling and supervising experiments on animals, it may, by notification in the Official
Gazette, constitute a Committee consisting of such number of officials and non-officials, as it may
think fit to appoint thereto.
(2) The Central Government shall nominate one of the members of the Committee to be its
Chairman.
(3) The Committee shall have power to regulate its own procedure in relation to the performance
of its duties.
(4) The funds of the Committee shall consist of grants made to it from time to time by the
Government and of contributions, donations, subscriptions, bequests, gifts and the like made to it by
any person.
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[15A. Sub-committees.―(1) The Committee may constitute as many sub-committees as it
thinks fit for exercising any power or discharging any duty of the Committee or for inquiring into or
reporting and advising on any matter which the Committee may refer.
(2) A sub-committee shall consist exclusively of the members of the Committee.]
16. Staff of the Committee.―Subject to the control of the Central Government, the Committee
may appoint such number of officers and other employees as may be necessary to enable it to exercise
its powers and perform its duties, and may determine the remuneration and other terms and conditions
of service of such officers and other employees.
17. Duties of the Committee and power of the Committee to make rules relating to
experiments on animals.―(1) It shall be the duty of the Committee to take all such measures as may
be necessary to ensure that animals are not subjected to unnecessary pain or suffering before, during
or after the performance of experiments on them, and for that purpose it may, by notification in the
Gazette of India and subject to the condition of previous publication, make such rules as it may think
fit in relation to the conduct of such experiments.
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[(1A) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules
may provide for the following matters, namely:―
(a) the registration of persons or institutions carrying on experiments on animals;
(b) the reports and other information which shall be forwarded to the Committee by persons
and institutions carrying on experiments on animals.]
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, rules made by the
Committee shall be designed to secure the following objects, namely:―
(a) that in cases where experiments are performed in any institution, the responsibility
therefor is placed on the person in charge of the institution and that, in cases where experiments
are performed outside an institution by individuals, the individuals are qualified in that behalf and
the experiments are performed on their full responsibility;
1. Ins. by Act 26 of 1982, s. 13 (w.e.f. 30-7-1982).
2. Ins. by s. 14, ibid. (w.e.f. 30-7-1982).
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(b) that experiments are performed with due care and humanity, and that as far as possible
experiments involving operations are performed under the influence of some anaesthetic of
sufficient power to prevent the animals feeling pain;
(c) that animals which, in the course of experiments under the influence of anesthetics, are so
injured that their recovery would involve serious suffering, are ordinarily destroyed while still
insensible;
(d) that experiments on animals are avoided wherever it is possible to do so; as for example,
in medical schools, hospitals, colleges and the like, if other teaching devices such as books,
models, films and the like may equally suffice;
(e) that experiments on larger animals are avoided when it is possible to achieve the same
results by experiments upon small laboratory animals like guinea-pigs, rabbits, frogs and rats;
(f) that, as far as possible, experiments are not performed merely for the purpose of acquiring
manual skill;
(g) that animals intended for the performance of experiments are properly looked after both
before and after experiments;
(h) that suitable records are maintained with respect to experiments performed on animals.
(3) In making any rules under this section, the Committee shall be guided by such directions as
the Central Government (consistently with the objects for which the Committee is set up) may give to
it, and the Central Government is hereby authorised to give such directions.
(4) All rules made by the Committee shall be binding on all individuals performing experiments
outside institutions and on persons in charge of institutions in which experiments are performed.
18. Power of entry and inspection.―For the purpose of ensuring that the rules made by it are
being complied with, the Committee may authorise any of its officers or any other person in writing to
inspect any institution or place where experiments are being carried on and report to it as a result of
such inspection, and any officer or person so authorised may―
(a) enter at any time considered reasonable by him and inspect any institution or place in
which experiments on animals are being carried on; and
(b) require any person to produce any record kept by him with respect to experiments on
animals.
19. Power to prohibit experiments on animals.―If the Committee is satisfied, on the report of
any officer or other person made to it as a result of any inspection under section 18 or otherwise, that
the rules made by it under section 17 are not being complied with by any person or institution
carrying on experiments on animals, the Committee may, after giving an opportunity to the person or
institution of being heard in the matter, by order, prohibit the person or institution from carrying on
any such experiments either for a specified period or indefinitely, or may allow the person or
institution to carry on such experiments subject to such special conditions as the Committee may think
fit to impose.
20. Penalties.―If any person―
(a) contravenes any order made by the Committee under section 19; or
(b) commits a breach of any condition imposed by the Committee under that section;
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he shall be punishable with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, and, when the
contravention or breach of condition has taken place in any institution, the person in charge of the
institution shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be punishable accordingly.