New Delhi, Sep 30 : Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal on Tuesday launched National Council of Vocational Education and Training (NCVET)-approved skill courses on Tea Sommeliers and Tea Tasting.

Announcing the initiative on the occasion of International Tea Day, Barthwal said the specialised courses by Tea Board India are aimed at skilling the youth and promoting tea literacy, with the programmes proposed to be conducted at the Darjeeling Tea Research and Development Centre, Tea Board India, Kurseong.

Among the two courses are Essentials of Tea Sommeliers (60 hours), covering 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 (210 hours) course covers 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.

'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,' said Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The two new courses have been developed with the assistance of the Agriculture Skill Council of India (ASCI), an awarding body recognised by the NCVET, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship.

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.

The two NCVET-approved skill courses are the first-of-their-kind courses in tea tasting, designed in alignment with NEP 2020, and mark a significant step in strengthening India's tea value chain through a skilled workforce.

/IANS