This story is from October 17, 2005

New grind for guides

Pallavi Bali / TNN / Oct 17, 2005, 12:56 IST

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Government announces yearly exam to monitor tourist guides in the country, Pallavi Bali reports.

As a part of its Incredible !India campaign, the Department of Tourism is tightening the quality check on travel guides.
All government-approved guides need to take a qualifying exam before taking on assignments. The tourist guide exam has been recommenced after nine years.
��Since 1996, there had been no new inductions of government-approved guides.We want to flood the market with qualified and competent tourist guides and we plan to have 250 guides for northern India itself,�� says M M Sadana, deputy director general, Travel Trade, Ministry of Tourism.
Sadana says that it is important for tourist guides to be well groomed as they are the ones who communicate the cultural history and ultimately portray the image of the country to foreigners..,.

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Every year, the department advertises in prominent newspapers announcing the exam. All candidates are required to have at least a Bachelor��s degree or a diploma in archeaology from the Institute of Archeology, under the ASI, with proficiency in English.
The exam follows the short answer type pattern and questions from various related fields like history, geology, geography of India, current political scenario, knowledge of monuments, handicrafts, different cuisines, are included.

After taking the exam, the candidates are screened through an interview and are made to go through an intensive training session for 16 weeks. On clearing all these stages, successful candidates are issued identity cards.
This enables them to take up assignments at the regional level in any of the five zones: north, south, east, west and northeast. Sadana informs that only approved guides are allowed to take up assignments in archaeological sites, according to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958...
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��With an increase in the number of tourists from China and South East Asia, we prefer candidates who are proficient in Chinese and Thai languages,�� adds Sadana.
Another new measure is the regular monitoring of the licensed guides. They will now be required to undergo a refresher course every year and take an exam, where they have to score a minimum of 40% before their licence can be renewed.
There are also programmes for part time guides, involving those who are experts in the field. The exam is carried out by the regional tourism offices. Those interested, can contact their nearest Indiatourism office.

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