Great News for Small Animals: TANUVAS Will Not Approve Cruel Forced Swim Test After Hearing from PETA India
In a positive step for ethical science and small animals, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) has confirmed to PETA India that it will not sanction any animal experimentation proposals involving the controversial Forced Swim Test (FST) in which mice, hamsters, and other small animals are dosed with test substances, placed in inescapable beakers filled with water, and made to swim to keep from drowning – purportedly to shed light on human depression. The commitment follows outreach from PETA India highlighting the test’s inherent cruelty and scientific shortcomings.
TANUVAS joins a growing number of Indian universities that have committed to rejecting the FST after hearing from PETA India, including Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Himachal Institute of Pharmacy in Himachal Pradesh, Chitkara University in Chandigarh and CT University also in Ludhiana, Punjab.
The experiment has been heavily criticized by scientists who argue that the animals giving up and floating is not a sign of depression or despair, but rather an indicator that the animals are simply saving energy and adapting to a new environment. Research suggests the test may even be less reliable than a coin toss at determining the effectiveness of antidepressant medications.
In an email to PETA India, TANUVAS Vice-Chancellor, Dr R. Narendra Babu confirmed that the university had not sanctioned any proposal involving the FST to date and categorically stated, “we will not sanction any animal experimentation proposals involving FST, in future also.”
Following encouragement from PETA India, the Pharmacy Council of India issued directives in April 2025 and January 2026 urging institutions
under its purview to review and take necessary action on the continued use of the widely debunked forced swim experiment. More than 100 scientists and scientific experts have also joined PETA India’s call urging regulators and institutions to end the use of the forced swim test.
Other government agencies, universities, and pharmaceutical companies around the world have pledged not to permit, conduct, or fund the FST after hearing from PETA entities. PETA India is intensifying efforts to urge the Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CCSEA) to ban the cruel experiment at the national level.
