Bengaluru, 19 July

The Naturalist School, a Bengaluru-based social enterprise, has launched the third batch of India’s first government-certified naturalist training programme, the Certified Naturalist (CNAT) Course, at Bannerghatta Nature Camp on Friday.

Accredited by the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) and aligned with the Skill India Mission, the three-and-a-half-month course offers formal training for nature guides, wildlife interpreters, and eco-tourism professionals. It is the first structured, government-recognised programme of its kind in India.

Siddesh Shekar, 33, a former wildlife tour guide and part of the course's first batch, said the CNAT course helped him broaden his understanding of nature beyond tourism.

“We picked up a lot of cognitive skills, and learnt about everything -- birds, reptiles and mammals -- during the course of three-and-half months,” said Shekar to PTI.

Prakruthi Subramanya, Programme Director at The Naturalist School, said the course, priced at ₹1.5 lakh, is built on experiential learning and is designed to create meaningful career pathways in the growing fields of conservation, nature education, and sustainable tourism

The current batch, started on 19 July.