Academic Department
Tea Husbandry & Technology
Constituent Department under College of Agriculture
DEPARTMENT OF
TEA HUSBANDRY & TECHNOLOGY
ASSAM
AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY: JORHAT
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PROGRAMME
The Department of Tea Husbandry & Technology at Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Jorhat, holds the unique distinction of being the first institute in the world to offer formal university education dedicated entirely to tea. Established in 1968 through a joint collaboration with the Government of Assam, the Tea Board of India, and various Tea Producers’ Associations, the department introduced a highly specialized, multi-disciplinary curriculum.
Situated in the heart of major tea-producing landscapes, the programme was mandated to maintain a steady flow of technically qualified, professionally competent managers and scientists for the global tea industry and allied sectors, while creating a robust academic framework for basic and applied plantation research.
Reflecting its international reputation, the department has attracted students from major tea-growing nations, including Iran, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Lesotho. Till now, 733 students obtained B.Sc. Agri (degree) with specialization in Tea Husbandry & Technology. The specialized subject of study has proved to be very successful as more than 60 per cent of the students have been gainfully employed in the tea industry of India and abroad.
Since the late eighties of the last century, the department initiated and popularized the concept of tea cultivation in small scale in Assam. Presently there are around 1, 20,000 small tea growers in the state. The Assam Agricultural University is credited with the popularization of tea as a farmers’ crop and subsequent development in the small tea sector in Assam in particular and the entire north eastern region in general.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TEA SCIENCE
The Assam Agricultural College was initially affiliated with Gauhati University. The visionary Vice-Chancellor, Pandit K. K. Handique, believed the college could make significant contributions to the surrounding tea industry. To strengthen this contribution, he proposed the introduction of a crash course in ‘Tea Culture and Manufacture’. In 1958, Pandit Handique formed a high-powered committee to assess the feasibility of introducing an academic programme on ‘Tea Culture’.
The committee’s report was submitted to the Tea Board of India for consideration and financial support. Initially, little progress was made. However, with the determined efforts of Shri B. P. Chaliha, the then Chief Minister of Assam, supported by Late P. C. Barooah, Ex-Member of Parliament and a renowned tea planter, the scheme gained momentum. The Tea Board of India eventually approved it, agreeing to share the funding with the Government of Assam on a 50:50 basis. The programme commenced in the 1968–69 session, leading to the establishment of the ‘Department of Tea Science’.
This department aimed to create a skilled workforce of tea scientists, specialists, and management executives to serve the tea industry and its allied sectors across the country. The introduction of such a specialised course was landmark advancement in science and technology, and its relevance to the sprawling tea industry was immense.
After completing his Ph.D. at the University of London, Dr. Prafulla Chandra Bora was appointed on 26 October 1968 to lead the newly formed Department of Tea Science at the Assam Agricultural University as Professor and Head. He was entrusted with the sole responsibility of envisioning, planning, and implementing the academic programme of the new department, while also ensuring that it was equipped with all necessary facilities.
On 1 April 1969, the Assam Agricultural University was officially established under an Act of the State Legislature. To seek feedback from senior tea industry figures regarding the development of the Department of Tea Science, Dr. Bora organised a meeting and the meeting was attended by representatives of various organisations related to tea industry. Later the Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA) convened a meeting with its members to discuss support for the newly formed department. Dr. Bora presented the proposal for establishing the Department of Tea Science. All members present agreed to collaborate with the Assam Agricultural University on the following aspects:
- Instituting monthly scholarships by Producers’ Associations to incentivise meritorious students.
- Active participation by tea companies in arranging intensive practical training to students in the estates, under the close supervision of estate managers, with free food and lodging like that provided to executives.
- Allowing trainees to collect necessary information about estates for inclusion in their Academic Reports.
- Providing any other facilities as requested by the Professor and Head of the Department of Tea Science.
The name of the department was changed from ‘Tea Science and Technology’ to ‘Tea Husbandry and Technology’ after the introduction of the postgraduate course. During a visit by Dr. M. S. Swaminathan, Director-General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, he suggested replacing the word ‘Science’ with ‘Husbandry’ to better reflect the agricultural nature of the discipline. Thus, the department became known as the ‘Department of Tea Husbandry & Technology’. The University also purchased about 21 hectares of tea plantation adjacent to the campus from the Tocklai Experimental Station for practical classes.
INSTITUTIONAL MILESTONES
· 1968 Department established; launches world’s first formal university programme in Tea Husbandry.
· 1972 Masters’ degree programme officially introduced.
· 1988 Formation of Tea Advisory Cell for small tea growers.
· 1991 Establishment of the Small Tea Growers Advisory Programme.
· 2012 Structured Course-Credit System introduced for the Ph.D. degree programme.
· 2023 Hosted the International Tea Day & Bicentenary of the Assam Tea Industry celebrations.
· 2025 Formulated the institutional "Participatory Sustainable Regenerative Agriculture and Agroforestry System for Voluntary Carbon Market" project under RKVY.
· 2026 Faculty and scholars widely recognized with global research awards and high placement rates in prime research and regulatory channels.
TEACHING
Formal Education in Tea Science & Technology is being offered by the Department of Tea Husbandry & Technology both in Undergraduate and Post Graduate levels.
The course curriculum of the department covers three broad areas, viz.,
i) Tea Husbandry & Production Technology
ii) Tea Engineering & Processing Technology
iii) Tea Economics & Management including Legal Matters
Regular visits to commercial tea estates; business houses, tea auction centre and tea growing areas of the country are parts of the academic programme.
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMMECourses in Tea Husbandry & Technology are offered as “Specialized Courses” from the second year of the four-year B.Sc (Agri) Degree Programme along with other general courses of Agriculture.
As a part of the course curriculum, the final year under-graduate students of the department had to undergo off-campus Practical Garden Training programme during the final semester (6 months) of the degree programme. Later on in 1991, mandatory one-semester Rural Agricultural Work Experience Programme (RAWEP) for general agriculture graduates was introduced at the University to integrate the students with the farming community and develop their skills in problem solving, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship. The Rural Agricultural Work Experience Programme was restructured into the Tea Industrial Work Experience Programme (TIWEP) for students of Tea Husbandry & Technology. This was formally approved by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Under TIWEP, students specializing in Tea Husbandry & Technology undergo training in commercial tea estates. They also gain exposure to small tea growers in rural areas and are introduced to the latest research methods in tea research institutions. Additionally, they familiarize themselves with the practical realities of the market through exposure visits to institutions such as the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, Inland Container Depot, Broker houses, Buyer houses, Warehouses, Tea blenders, and Packeters.
Since 2012, the University has also introduced an ‘Experiential Learning Programme’ (ELP) within the B.Sc. (Agri) degree, spanning one full semester. In this programme, students engage in hands-on work in both tea fields and factories, covering planning, management, and marketing. The Experiential Learning Programme of the department is divided into five modules:
- Planning and management of tea plantations
- Production of planting material and nursery techniques
- Plantation management practices
- Tea processing technology
- Tea marketing management, including tea tasting, blending, and packaging
The students of this department are placed in off-campus “Tea Industrial Work Experience Programme” (TIWEP) for one semester (six months). The Tea Industrial Work Experience Programme consists five courses and is equivalent to a semester load of 20 credits.
Intensive practical training in the commercial tea estates under TIWEP, both in field and factory as trainee executives, is one of the important components of the programme, which enables students to develop managerial and administrative capabilities. On completion of this programme, students are required to submit an ‘Academic Report’ in partial fulfillment of the academic programme.
Enrolment of StudentsSince its inception, this innovative course has attracted students from many Indian states including Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh — as well as from foreign countries such as Ethiopia, Iran, Uganda and Lesotho.
EVOLUTION OF THE POST-GRADUATE PROGRAMME
To deepen research capability and generate advanced leadership for the sector, the Master’s degree programme was launched in 1972. Opinions were sought from eminent educationists, scientists, and experienced tea planters in formulating what became a uniquely exhaustive single-crop postgraduate course. After assessing its feasibility, ICAR approved the post-graduate programme in January 1972, agreeing to provide budgetary support for laboratory and field activities, academic staff, and other requirements. Later, Ph.D programme was also introduced under traditional system followed by introduction of Ph.D programme with course credit system in 2012.
M.Sc. programme is a 2 year degree focused on application and validation, learning advanced methodologies, testing existing theories in new contexts, and mastering technical execution. The curricula are designed to offer advanced theoretical and practical insights into tea cultivation mechanics, processing chemistry, bio intensive plant protection, processing economics, and global marketing frameworks.
The syllabus undergoes periodic revisions through the Departmental Board of Studies and the University Academic Council chaired by the Vice-Chancellor adopting the ICAR model with tailored modifications to meet regional and commercial tea sector needs.
Vision for M.Sc. Programme
To remain the premier global centre of excellence in Tea Husbandry and Technology by driving transformative research, delivering advanced multidisciplinary education, and pioneering sustainable, value-added technological innovations that bolster the economic vitality, climate resilience, and environmental stewardship of the tea sector.
EVOLUTION OF THE PH.D. PROGRAMME
Aligning with modern academic standards, the Ph.D. programme under the structured course-credit system was officially introduced in the 2012–2013 Academic Session. The post-graduate and doctoral curricula are designed to offer advanced theoretical and practical insights into tea cultivation mechanics, processing chemistry, bio-intensive plant protection, processing economics, and global marketing frameworks. The syllabus undergoes periodic revisions through the Departmental Board of Studies and the University Academic Council chaired by the Vice-Chancellor adopting the ICAR model with tailored modifications to meet regional and commercial tea sector needs.
Vision for Ph.D. Programme
To be the premier global center of doctoral excellence in Tea Husbandry and Technology by fostering transformative, high-impact research and advanced multidisciplinary education; pioneering sustainable, value-added technological innovations that drive the economic vitality, climate resilience, and environmental stewardship of the global tea sector.
CERTIFICATE COURSE
The Department of Tea Husbandry & Technology of the University has been conducting since 2012 a Certificate Course on ‘Tea Production Technology & Management’ for the unemployed youths of Assam. Till date the department has successfully completed 8(eight) batches of this Certificate Course with capacity of 25 (twenty-five) students in each batch. Considering the overwhelming response to the Certificate Course from various categories of applicants, the department upgraded this course to a diploma course of one year duration offered to unemployed graduates of any discipline. Moreover, as tea industry of Assam covers both organized commercial tea estates under the corporate sectors and unorganized plantations of the small tea growers, there often arises the need of skilled manpower who would either offer service to the tea estates or take care of their own plantation in application of technology of tea production, processing and keeping of useful records. In order to meet this requirement of tea industry of Assam, the department also offers one abridged form of the certificate course of 3 (three) months duration entitled “Tea Production & Processing Technology”.
POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA COURSE ON ‘TEA PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND SMART MANAGEMENT’
The tea industry of Assam covers both organised commercial tea estates under the corporate sectors and unorganised plantations of the small tea growers, there often arises the need for skilled manpower who would either offer service to the tea estates or take care of their own plantation in application of technology of tea production, processing and keeping of useful records. Considering the need, Department of Tea Husbandry & Technology, Assam Agricultural University has introduced a Post Graduate Diploma course on ‘Tea Production Technology & Smart Management’ of one year duration to be offered to unemployed graduates of any discipline who are interested to offer their skilled service in tea industry.
ODL COURSE
Tea is the backbone of Assam’s agro-economy, with the state producing over half of India’s total tea output. In recent decades, the landscape of tea production has shifted dramatically due to the rapid emergence of Small Tea Growers (STGs). Tens of thousands of young individuals in rural and semi-urban Assam have taken up tea cultivation on small landholdings.
However, many youths enter the field without formal training in agronomy, quality processing, or financial management, leading to yield fluctuations, pest vulnerabilities, low leaf-realization prices, and market inefficiencies.
By leveraging Open and Distance Learning (ODL), an ODL course on ‘Tea Plantation Management’ of 6 months duration is offered by Open & Distance Learning (ODL) Directorate, Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Jorhat. The course is jointly developed by Department of Tea Husbandry & Technology and Department of Agricultural Economics, AAU to cater the need of youth of Assam, aspiring tea entrepreneurs, Small Tea Growers (STGs), and plantation managers.
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
Besides the University Merit scholarship, From 2009, a prestigious award, named as “Late DharmananadaDas Memorial Silver Trophy” has been instituted by the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre after the name of the founder Chairman of the Auction Centre. The award funded by the family of Late Dharmananda Das consists of a Memorial Silver Trophy and a cash award of Rs.20,000.00 and is awarded every year to the brightest student in Tea Husbandry & Technology, of the B.Sc. (Agri) degree programme.
| # | Course No. | Course Title | Credit | Syllabus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | THT(Elect)-223 | Tea Production Technology I | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 2 | THT(Elect)-313 | Tea Production Technology II | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 3 | THT-(Elect) 323 | Tea Processing Technology | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 4 | THT-212 * | Production Technology of Plantation Crops | 2 (2+0) | — |
| 5 | THT-311 * | Tea Economics and Management | 1 (1+0) | — |
| 6 | THT-321 * | Marketing and Accountancy of Tea | 1 (1+0) | — |
| 7 | TIWEP-413(i) * | Estate Administration & Management | 3 (0+3) | — |
| 8 | TIWEP-413(ii) * | Tea marketing and Exposure to Tea Research | 3 (0+3) | — |
| 9 | TIWEP-414 * | Tea Production in Small tea Growers Sector including ITK and biodiversity | 4 (0+4) | — |
| 10 | TIWEP-415 (i) * | Tea Husbandry & Field Management Practices | 5 (0+5) | — |
| 11 | TIWEP-415(ii) * | Tea Manufacturing Machinery involved & Tea Factory Management | 5 (0+5) | — |
* indicates compulsory courses.
| # | Course No. | Course Title | Credit | Syllabus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tea Physiology | Tea Physiology | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 2 | THT 501 * | Principles of Tea Culture | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 3 | THT-502 * | Tea Production Technology | 2 (1+1) | — |
| 4 | THT-503 * | Principles of Tea Manufacture | 2 (2+0) | — |
| 5 | THT-504 * | Tea Economics and Management | 3 (3+0) | — |
| 6 | THT-506 | Plant improvement in tea | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 7 | THT-507 | Tea Soils and Fertility Management | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 8 | THT-508 | Drainage and irrigation in tea | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 9 | THT-509 | Tea Biochemistry | 2 (2+0) | — |
| 10 | THT-510 | Plant Protection in Tea | 4 (3+1) | — |
| 11 | THT-511 | Principles of Tea Estate Management | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 12 | THT-512 | Advances in Tea Science | 2 (2+0) | — |
| 13 | THT-513 | Tea Machinery | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 14 | THT-514 | Tea Process Engineering | 2 (2+0) | — |
| 15 | THT-515 | Drainage Engineering | 2 (1+1) | — |
| 16 | THT-516 | Tea Tasting | 2 (1+1) | — |
| 17 | THT-517 | Organic Tea Culture | 2 (2+0) | — |
| 18 | THT-518 | Record keeping in Tea | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 19 | THT-519 | Marketing & Sales Management | 1 (1+0) | — |
| 20 | THT-520 | Managerial accounting in tea estate management | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 21 | THT-521 | Statutory provisions in Tea Industry | 2 (2+0) | — |
| 22 | THT-591 * | Master Seminar-I (Major) | 1 (0+1) | — |
| 23 | THT-592 * | Master Seminar-II (Thesis) | 1 (0+1) | — |
| 24 | THT-599 * | Master’s Research | 0 (0+0) | — |
* indicates compulsory courses.
| # | Course No. | Course Title | Credit | Syllabus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | THT-601 * | Advances in Tea Culture | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 2 | THT-602 * | Advances in Tea Physiology | 2 (1+1) | — |
| 3 | THT-603 | Tea Chemistry & Pharmacology | 2 (2+0) | — |
| 4 | THT-604 | Soil & Water Management in Tea | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 5 | THT-607 | Advances in Crop Improvement in Tea | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 6 | THT-608 * | Advances in Tea Processing | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 7 | THT-613 * | Advances in Tea Economics & Management | 3 (2+1) | — |
| 8 | THT-691 * | Doctoral Seminar-I (Major) | 1 (0+1) | — |
| 9 | THT-692 | Doctoral Seminar-I (Minor) | 1 (0+1) | — |
| 10 | THT-693 * | Doctoral Seminar-III (Thesis) | 1 (0+1) | — |
| 11 | THT-699 * | Doctoral Research | 0 (0+0) | — |
* indicates compulsory courses.
Department Faculty Members
8 Faculty
Dr. Rana Pratap Bhuyan
HOD and Professor View Profile
Dr. Rana Pratap Bhuyan
(i/c) HOD and Professor View Profile
Dr. Gautam Kumar Saikia
Professor View Profile
Dr. Aditi Smith Gogoi
Associate Professor View Profile
Mr. Manuranjan Gogoi
Assistant Professor View Profile
Dr. Diganta Kumar Bora
Assistant Professor View Profile
Dr. Supriya Sonowal
Assistant Professor View ProfileAssociated Faculty
Research & Extension Projects
23 Total Projects
Ongoing Projects (10)
Participatory Sustainable Regenerative Agriculture and Agroforestry System for Voluntary Carbon Market under Rainfed Area Development, component of RKVY
Integrated Muga Silk Heritage with Sustainable Organic Tea Cultivation ( A collaborative project to be implemented by CMERTI-CSB, Jorhat and AAU, Jorhat
The Energy Research Institute sponsored project on Monetization of plantation for carbon development project
"Upscaling of Livelihood Implication through Smart Agriculture and Agri-Eco-Tourism"
Improved spinning type water remover in green tea processing
Developing a voluntary carbon market project for agroforestry systems and regenerative agriculture in Assam
Value addition and Product Diversification in Tea
Germplasm characterization, genomics analysis and gene discovery for yeild, metabolite and stress tolerance in tea
Sustainable Management of Tea Waste to Transform the Tea Industry into Carbon Neutral and Zero Waste Industry"
Studies on optimum withering period for white tea production in some cultivars during different tea flushes of Assam
Completed Projects (13)
Amar Gaon Amar Gaurav
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Gautam Kumar Saikia)
Augmentation of income of Small Tea Growers of Assam through Production and Marketing of Specialty Tea
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Gautam Kumar Saikia)
Standardization of Processing and Production of a Consumable Beverage from Mulberry Leaves and Blending with Green Tea
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Gautam Kumar Saikia)
Standardisation of processing technologies for development of a mulberry drink and blending with green tea for value addition
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Diganta Kumar Bora)
Standardisation of processing method for production of green CTC tea
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Diganta Kumar Bora)
Capacity Building of Small Tea Growers of Assam under TRINITEA programme
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Gautam Kumar Saikia)
Moving towards a sustainable private sector by creating responsible business behaviour in tea industry in Assam’
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Aditi Smith Gogoi)
Advisory Services to Small Tea Growers of Tuensang,Nagaland
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Gautam Kumar Saikia)
Institutional training on ‘Scientific Tea Cultivation’
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Gautam Kumar Saikia)
Training-cum-method demonstration on ‘Scientific Aspects of Tea Cultivation’
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Gautam Kumar Saikia)
Training of Small Tea Growers of Assam
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Gautam Kumar Saikia)
Development of A Natural Draft Gas Fire Tea Dryer for Small Tea Growers of Assam
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Rana Pratap Bhuyan)
Workshop-cum-training on ‘Safe and judicious use of agro-chemicals & drought management in small tea growers’ sector of Assam’
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Gautam Kumar Saikia)
Department Photo Gallery
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