Government launches first-ever skill courses on tea sommeliers, tasting

For the first time, the government has launched NCVET-approved skill courses on tea sommeliers and tea tasting, aiming to promote tea literacy. The National Council of Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), through its programmes will train youth and promote tea literacy in the country. The classes will be conducted at the Darjeeling tea research and development centre, tea board India, Kurseong.

The courses were unveiled by Sunil Barthwal, IAS, secretary, department of commerce on the occasion of International tea day.

The Tea Board India also formed a committee to explore existing courses in India and abroad, and to develop a comprehensive curriculum aligned with international standards, Indian tea industry requirements, and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The committee comprised the joint secretary (plantations), department of commerce, director, NCVET, ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship, IIPM, and domain experts in tea tasting and NEP 2020.

NCVET-approved new skill courses

After the recommendations from the committee, two new courses were designed with the assistance of the Agriculture Skill Council of India (ASCI).

Essentials of Tea Sommeliers: The duration of the course will be 60 hours. It will include fundamentals of tea and tea appreciation, professional tea tasting techniques, development of innovative tea blends, and adoption of artisanal and future-forward tea practices.

Fundamentals of Tea Tasting: The skill course will involve factory-level tea tasting operations, conducting and managing tea tasting sessions, tea blending based on tasting outcomes, and implementing future-ready tea manufacturing and tasting practices. The duration of the course will be 210 hours.

“On successful completion, trained professionals will contribute to sensory evaluation, grading, and the promotion of tea literacy—factors critical to enhancing market competitiveness and consumer satisfaction,” according to the official press release.