A day after Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog (RKA) chairman Vallabhbhai Kathiria exited his office, the RKA has postponed the Kamdhenu Gau-Vigyan Prachar-Prasar Exam, earlier scheduled for February 25.

“Please note that online Kamdhenu Gau Vigyan Prachar Prasar Exam /Pratiyogita, scheduled for 25th Feb 2021 including Mock Examination on 21st Feb 2021, has been postponed,” read a notice on RKA’s website.

No reason has been cited for postponing the exam. The RKA has also not announced new dates for the exam. The announcement comes after Kathiria completed his two-year term.

Through a resolution on February 21, 2019, the government had constituted RKA, for “conservation, protection and development of cows and their progeny”. While Kathiria was appointed its first chairman, Sunil Mansinghka and Hukum Chand Sawla were appointed – also for a tenure of two years – as non-official members. The tenure of these members has also ended.

During his tenure, Kathiria, a former Union MoS, made headlines for his controversial remarks about “cow science.”

While the sudden exit of Kathiria and postponement of the exam come as a surprise for many, sources in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, say many in the government were not happy with the RKA chief’s remarks, which they feel were “promoting pseudoscience.”

Phone calls and messages to Kathiria remained unanswered.

Sawla, a non-official member of RKA, said, “Kamdhenu Aayog held its last meeting on February 19. We were hoping to get an extension but on February 20, an order regarding completion of our tenure came. We requested minister Giriraj Singh to organise the examination but he said, ‘hum nahin kar payenge’ (we will not be able to hold it).”

Minister Giriraj Singh could not be reached for comments. Minister of State Sanjeev Balyan said he was not aware of the developments.

Sawla said the new board (chairman and members) now will decide about holding the exam.