Assam Launches Nameri Wild Classroom for Students

Guwahati: Assam Forest and Climate Change Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah kicked off the Nameri Wild Classroom on October 11. The project targets students in Class 8 and above, including those in college. It turns the Nameri Tiger Reserve into an outdoor laboratory. Students will spend two or three days living inside the park to study biodiversity.

The schedule includes birdwatching, wildlife tracking, and treks through the forest. Participants will raft on the Jia-Bharali River and learn from locals. Forest staff and professional naturalists will lead every session. Students must record their daily sightings in field journals. Every participant receives a certificate upon finishing the course.

Baruah believes the program helps steer youth toward careers in ecology and research. The state government designed this to highlight Assam's natural heritage. "By bringing young people closer to nature, we can encourage curiosity, scientific thinking, environmental responsibility and a lasting appreciation for biodiversity," the minister said. The initiative seeks to build a new generation of environmental stewards by moving learning out of traditional schools and into the deep wild.