The College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (COVAS), Akola, formerly known as the Post Graduate Institute of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (PGIVAS), is a premier institute under Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University (MAFSU), Nagpur. Located in Akola, a well-connected district in the Western Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, the college plays a key role in veterinary education, research, and extension in the region. Established in 1969 under the aegis of Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV), the institute initially focused on postgraduate education, offering M.V.Sc. and Ph.D. programs from 1970 and 1978, respectively. With the formation of MAFSU in 2000, the institute became a constituent college of the university. In the academic year 2024–25, undergraduate education in the form of B.V.Sc. & A.H. was introduced, and the institute was renamed as COVAS, Akola. The college currently offers undergraduate (B.V.Sc. & A.H.) and postgraduate (M.V.Sc. and Ph.D.) degree programs. The B.V.Sc. & A.H. course follows the curriculum prescribed by the Veterinary Council of India (VCI), while the postgraduate programs adhere to guidelines set by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). M.V.Sc. programs are available in 11 disciplines and Ph.D. programs in 8 disciplines, including Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry, Animal Nutrition, Animal Genetics and Breeding, Livestock Production and Management, Poultry Science, Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Veterinary Pathology, Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, and Veterinary Medicine.

The college is well-equipped with advanced facilities including the Purnathadi Buffalo and Berari Goat Farms, Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, and specialized laboratories such as Molecular Genetics Lab, Clinical Biochemistry Lab, Pathology Lab, and Feed Analytical Lab. It also houses a Laboratory Animal Facility, well-stocked Library, Smart and Model Classrooms, Seminar Halls, Girls’ Hostel, and Training Centre to support quality education, research, and outreach.

COVAS, Akola is actively involved in region-specific research and extension activities, especially benefiting the five districts of Western Vidarbha—a breeding tract of the Purnathadi buffalo and Berari goat. The institute regularly conducts farmer-scientist interactions, training programs, technical lectures, on-field demonstrations, clinical camps, and ambulatory services. It also oversees diploma programs in Livestock Management and Dairy Production through affiliated schools under MAFSU.