The minimum qualification for Tea Management is a Graduation. Other than Tea Tasters other courses require candidates to be graduates. Candidates with a B.S.C in Agricultural Sciences, Food Science, Horticulture, Botany or related sciences are preferred these days.. New entrants are taken on as Assistants at the plantation level. After gaining experience and competence an assistant can get promoted to the level of Assistant Manager, and then Manager of a tea garden. Most assistants can expect to become managers in 12-15 years of service. Potential tea tasters selected are trained on the job. Besides natural talents, vigorous training for a number of years is essential before becoming a professional tea taster and then a tea tasting manager. Besides acquiring skills in tasting, they need to work on their managerial and marketing capabilities too.

Personal attributes

One opting for a career in the field must have an interest and liking for outdoor life. They Must be physically fit, adaptable and self-reliant. Leadership qualities and the ability to deal with laborers is an added asset for plantation/ factory managers. One must also have initiative, be knowledgeable about the tea market and be alert to changing market forces, and should be willing to undertake strenuous work. They should possess fair knowledge about the topography and geographical location of the tea estate. Tea tasters need to have keen taste buds and should keep their sensitivities clean. They should therefore be inclined to keep smoking, drinking and intake of spicy foods in check. Those planning to become brokers should be level headed and disciplined and be able to strike a good rapport with producers and buyers.

Institutions for Tea management

1. Assam Agricultural University,

Department of Tea Husbandry and Technology, Jorhat, Assam (B.Sc & M.Sc Agriculture Course)

website : http://www.aau.ac.in/index.htm

2. Indian Institute of Plantation Management,

Jnana Bharathi Campus, P.0 Malathalli, Bangalore-560056

Phone :91-80-3211716,

E-mail : Contact Us ,

Website: www.iipmb.com

3. Dipras Institute of Professional Studies,

23/28 Gariahat Road, Kolkata-700029

Phone : 033-24600743/ 65458717

E-mail : Contact Us ,

Website: www.dipsschoolofmanagement.com

4. NITM, Darjeeling Tea Research and Management Association

P.O Kadamtala-734433, Dist. Darjeeling, West Bengal

Phone : 0353-2581582, Fax : 0353-2581593

5. Assam Darjeeling Tea Research Centre,

Kurseong, Darjeeling-734203(West Bengal)

6. UPASI Tea Research Institute,

Nirar Dam BPO, Valparai-642127 (Tamil Nadu)

7. Birla Institute of Futuristic Studies,

17A Darga Road, Park Circus, Kolkata-700017

The Tea Tasters Academy, Coonoor, Nilgiris (Kerala)