Sri Vijaya Puram, May 15: The EIACP Centre on Island Biodiversity, Zoological Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre successfully conducted three-month certificate courses on “Junior Para-Taxonomist and Nature Conservator cum Ecotourism Guide” under the Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP), sponsored by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. The programme was initiated on 21st January 2026 and concluded successfully on 13th April 2026. The valedictory function was held on 15th May, 2026 at the ZSI. Mr. Sanjay Kumar Sinha, IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Department of Environment & Forests, A & N Islands was the chief guest.
The courses were organized with the objective of promoting biodiversity conservation awareness, environmental education, and skill development related to taxonomy, nature conservation, and ecotourism among the youth of the islands. A total of 41 participants successfully completed the programme, including 20 participants under the Junior Para-Taxonomist course and 21 participants under the Nature Conservator cum Ecotourism Guide course. During the training programme, participants received both theoretical and practical exposure on taxonomy, wildlife conservation, ecosystem awareness, nature interpretation, ecotourism practices and field-based learning activities. Experts and resource persons from various disciplines delivered lectures and hands-on training sessions throughout the course duration.
Mr. Sanjay Kumar Sinha in his valedictory address highlighted that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) launched the Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) in 2017 as a flagship national initiative under the Skill India Mission in coordination with the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA). He stated that the programme was introduced to build a technically skilled and environmentally conscious workforce in the country. He emphasized that the initiative is an important step towards achieving a sustainable future by addressing youth employment opportunities while simultaneously supporting the nation’s environmental goals. He noted that the GSDP equips learners with specialized knowledge and practical skills required for self-employment as well as gainful employment in the forest, wildlife, biodiversity, and environmental sectors.
He further stated that the programme plays a significant role in combating climate change by developing a dedicated workforce capable of promoting carbon footprint reduction and conservation of natural resources. He also mentioned that the initiative contributes towards achieving India’s National Biodiversity Targets, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Highlighting the importance of inclusive development, he remarked that green skill initiatives promote equitable economic growth by ensuring that the benefits of sustainable and low-carbon development reach all sections of society.
Encouraging the participants, he urged the younger generation to actively adopt and promote green skills for building a resource-efficient economy and preserving the environment for future generations. He emphasized that society must move beyond being passive observers of climate change and instead become active contributors towards environmental protection and sustainable development. Congratulating all the certificate recipients, PCCF appreciated their dedication and efforts towards building a greener future. He also expressed his appreciation to the Zoological Survey of India for successfully conducting the Green Skill Development Programme training sessions for the sixth time in the islands and conveyed his best wishes to all participants for their future green careers.
Earlier, the Chief Guest inaugurated the QR Code Digital Museum developed at the Zoological Museum, ZSI. The QR codes digital museums bridge the gap between physical exhibits and deep, interactive online content. By scanning a simple code with a smartphone, visitors instantly unlock a multimedia educational experience. The key applications of QR code is for enhanced information, instead of brief labels, codes link to in-depth about the species displayed in the museum, in different languages. The QR Code-Enabled Museum is also Enhances experience for visually impaired patrons through text-to-speech features. Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre, ZSI is the first centre to develop QR code digital museum.
Dr. C. Sivaperuman, Scientist-F & Officer-in-charge, Zoological Survey of India in his address, gave an overview of the Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) courses conducted at the Zoological Survey of India. He highlighted that the programme was organized through the EIACP Centre on Island Biodiversity. He mentioned that the Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre is one of the selected training centres under the programme and has successfully conducted six batches of GSDP training since 2017. He stated that several trainees from previous batches have secured employment in various government departments, research institutions and ecotourism sectors, while some have pursued higher education and research careers.
He further explained that during the three-month training programme, participants received both theoretical and practical exposure on biodiversity documentation, taxonomy, medicinal plants, nursery techniques, GIS, statistical tools, and conservation issues. Extensive field training was also conducted in different forest and wetland ecosystems across South, Middle, and North Andaman Islands. He also highlighted the employment opportunities available for trained candidates in the fields of biodiversity surveys, taxonomy, ecotourism, wildlife interpretation, nature guiding, nursery management, and environmental education. Further, he congratulated all the trainees for successfully completing the course and appreciated the support extended by experts, faculty members, invited guests, and officials for the successful conduct of the programme.
Finally, the Chief Guest distributed course completion certificates to all the trainees and congratulated them on their successful completion of the certificate course.
