Alipurduar: Alipurduar Women’s College is set to become the first college in North Bengal to introduce a six-month certificate course in Tea Management, aimed at enhancing women’s participation in managerial and administrative roles within the tea industry. The self-financing course has been designed by industry experts and will combine academic learning with practical training.
Women form the backbone of the tea garden workforce, yet across more than 300 full-fledged tea gardens in North Bengal while office and management positions continue to be dominated by men.
For years, there has been a demand for greater representation of women in tea garden administration. Addressing this long-standing issue, Alipurduar Women’s College—the first college in the region—has taken this pioneering initiative.
Majherdabri Tea Garden of Alipurduar has extended direct support to the programme by offering hands-on training facilities. The course will consist of four months of theory-based instruction, followed by two months of practical training in tea gardens. Principal Amitabh Roy said the course has been structured to meet industry requirements. “We will receive support from the Tea Board of India and Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya. Students will be trained under expert guidance. There is a shortage of skilled personnel in tea gardens, and we are confident of ensuring 100 percent placement for successful candidates,” he said.
President of the college’s Governing Body and Alipurduar MLA Suman Kanjilal said the initiative aligns with the state government’s focus on women’s economic empowerment. “Despite women forming the majority of tea garden workers, management roles remain male-dominated, a legacy of the British era. This course aims to change that,” he said.
Majherdabri Tea Garden Manager Chinmoy Dhar welcomed the initiative, stating that trained professionals would improve efficiency and garden management. The course will have limited seats, and the college plans to introduce scholarship facilities in the future.