NCBS is excited to announce the launch of the Indica School of Field Ecology and Conservation.

We live in a time when the cumulative impact of human modification of the earth is manifesting in unprecedented ways. The effects of climate change are increasingly being felt around the world, coupled with the effects of habitat degradation resulting from land-use and land-cover change and the spread of invasive species. The resulting impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning threaten the ecosystem services that society collectively derives from natural  ecosystems, e.g., the absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the provisioning of clean water, healthy soils, pollination, and pest-control. At this juncture, perhaps more than ever before, we need a new generation of ecologists and conservation leaders capable of addressing today’s complex environmental challenges.

There is a growing interest in the field of ecology, wildlife biology, and conservation in India. Through the Indica School we propose to address the burgeoning interest in these disciplines by offering students immersive, field-based programmes taught by leading experts in the field from around the country. In doing so we draw upon two decades of experience running a Master’s programme in Wildlife Biology and Conservation anchored at NCBS and taught in partnership with a network of collaborating institutions.

The Indica School will offer several short (2-3 week) field courses through the year. The field courses are designed with an emphasis on enhancing research skills and will focus on critical thinking, robust scientific principles, and hands-on learning of field methods and techniques. By combining rigorous science with exposure to India’s rich ecological landscapes, the Indica School aims to nurture interdisciplinary thinking and deep engagement with pressing conservation issues.

Courses will be taught at NCBS’s field stations in Pachmarhi (Madhya Pradesh), and Coorg (Karnataka), and at field facilities of partner institutions such as IISER Trivandrum. The courses offered will be of relevance to PhD students planning their research. The courses will also be relevant to early-career researchers, conservation practitioners, and forest managers.

• Field Techniques in Wildlife Biology
• Foundations in Field Ecology

To receive updates regarding these courses CLICK HERE

For additional details, contact indicaschool at ncbs dot res dot in

This initiative is generously funded by