With the essence of ‘earn while you learn’ this college in Biswanath district of Assam has a tea estate spread over 40 acre of land in a college where students work for wage in leisure time and meet their education expenses. A tea garden which enables students to prepare themselves to be atmanirbhar (self-reliant) and learn the basics to be the future tea entrepreneur of the state.
“We had vast forest land which was lying unutilized in our college premises. In 2014 we started the tea plantation in 23.38 acre of the land. The willing college students were involved in the plantation and maintenance of the garden. We bring in visiting faculties to teach a batch of student who later give training to the next batch. In 2019 we added another 13.36 acre to the plantation area. We buy the clones and the rest are done by the students” says Dr Ajit Hazarika, Principal of Tyagbir Hem Baruah College.
The tea plantation in the college situated in the rural backdrop on the north bank of mighty Brahmaputra was initially stated as a joint effort by all the teaching and nonteaching staff of the college. One of the prime objective of the initiative was to impart skill development teachings to the students who come for economically weak sections and help them prepare for the future along with the academic qualification.
“We sell the green tea leaves to the nearby factories and make a profit of around two lakhs a year. We pay Rs 10 per kilogram of green leaves plucked by the students. Around 200 students engage themselves in the garden work which includes plucking, pruning and maintenance and production in the garden. Though we don’t have a proper curriculum for the tea science course but we provided UGC certified certificates on our own as acquiring an affiliated course from Guwahati University involves a lengthy official process” says Dr. Hazarika
It is on the June 1, the college and its students had officially started producing and trading organic Green Tea. The college have trained up a group of students in the production of green as it involves expertise.
College also encourages students to take up tea plantation in their home if they have vacant land. The college offers initial support besides making the student prepared and equipped completely for such challenges.
“The green tea needs a bud and a leaf unlike the, a bud and two leaves in the case of CTC tea. Moreover the tea is naturally withered in sheds and dried on pans. Then the tea then is hand rolled to get the final product. All these are done by our students in their leisure time. We pay them Rs 40 per hour as stipend. We sell these tea in the local marked and have priced them rupees 225 for 100gram packet and Rs 130 for 50 gram packet,” adds the principal of the college
The heritage college established in 1963 after Chinese aggression have 2200 students in the Arts and Science faculties.
“We now are encouraging students to take up tea plantation in their home if they have vacant land. The college will provide the initial support besides making the student prepared and equipped completely for such challenges. Besides the tea plantation we have also started plantain, chili, and lemon cultivation on four bighas of land. This too is looked after by the students of the college” says Mrinmay Kumar nath, Jr Assistant, Tyagbir Hem Baruah College who looks after the affairs of the college tea estate.
Courses in tea management is provided in Cariduwar and Tingkhong college of Assam and diploma course is provided in Assam Science And Technology University.
Assam Agricultural University has the unique distinction of being the first institute in the world to have a department of Tea Husbandry & Technology which offers formal education on tea.
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