Tea Board Launches Professional Tea Tasting Courses

Tea Board India launched National Council of Vocational Education and Training-approved skilled courses on tea tasting at the Darjeeling Tea Research and Development Centre in Kurseong, West Bengal, on 3 August 2026. The courses are designed to train tea tasters and tea sommeliers for quality assessment, value addition, and market competitiveness in the Indian tea sector.

Tea Tasting as a Vocational Skill

Tea tasting is a specialised sensory skill used in tea quality evaluation, blending, grading, and market selection. In the tea industry, a tea taster assesses liquor colour, aroma, flavour, briskness, strength, and aftertaste through standardised sensory methods.

Course Structure and Curriculum

Two programmes have been introduced under the initiative. The first is a 60-hour certificate course titled Essentials of Tea Sommelier, and the second is a 210-hour course. The inaugural batch began with the 60-hour programme, which includes tea appreciation, professional tasting techniques, blending, and future-oriented practices. The Agriculture Skill Council of India assisted in developing the curriculum. A formulation committee with representatives from the Department of Commerce, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and industry professionals prepared the syllabus.

Policy and Skill Framework

The curriculum has been aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Skill Qualification Framework. NCVET approval places the courses within India’s formal vocational education and training system, which covers skill standards, assessment, and certification. Tea Board India functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and is responsible for the development of the tea industry in India. Darjeeling tea is a Geographical Indication-tagged tea from West Bengal and is known for orthodox tea production.

Important Facts for Exams

• Tea Board India was established under the Tea Act, 1953.
• Darjeeling Tea Research and Development Centre is located in Kurseong in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal.
• National Council of Vocational Education and Training is the national regulator for vocational education and training in India.
• The National Skill Qualification Framework provides a competency-based framework for skill certification in India.