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About the Mountaineering Coursere in India
Courses and Institutes of Basic Mountaineering Course
Nehru Institute of Mountaineering is the most prestigious mountaineering institute in Asia. It was established on 14th Nov 1965 to honor Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, who was a die-hard mountain lover. The institute has pioneered technical climbing education for years and is the only mountaineering institute in India certified by UIAA. It offers various mountaineering courses such as basic, advanced, adventure, search and rescue, skiing, and special course. You can apply for all these courses online, and seats are allotted on a first-come, first-serve basis. The institute houses The Pine Bowl, an open-air amphitheater with a Himalayan artificial climbing wall.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports is a top-rated mountaineering institute in Manali, Himachal Pradesh. It was established by Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the year 1961 and offers various skiing, mountaineering, and water sports courses. For MOI courses, you must have completed your intermediate, and for Basic & Advance Mountaineering Courses, you must have cleared your matriculation. Basic mountaineering is one of the best courses they offer, and you must be between 16-45 years to enroll in this course.
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is one of the finest mountaineering institutes built in honor of Tenzing Norgay. It was set up in 1954 in Darjeeling to promote mountaineering as an organized sport in the country. The institute offers various courses such as basic, adventure, and advanced mountaineering. It is known as the Mecca of Indian Mountaineering and has trained many people in allied adventure activities and mountaineering. The prime attraction of the institute is the mountaineering museum which contains many expedition displays. It also has a Swiss-style residential school for mountaineering students.
If you're wondering how to become a mountaineer, sign up for the mountaineering courses at the National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports. It is an autonomous mountaineering institute in India that provides specialized training in mountaineering, adventure sports, and mountain rescue. The institute was established in 2011 and was founded by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh. It is the first Indian National Institute mandated to conduct adventure courses in air, land, and water. What makes it unique is its fifty-two acres of campus, experienced instructors, and carefully designed programs.
Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering was established in 1983 in Jammu & Kashmir to provide diverse adventure activities in one place. It offers various mountaineering courses in India, such as rock crafting, river rafting, paragliding, ice crafting, steam crossing, and advanced and basic level mountaineering courses. In the year 2002, the institute was honored with the Indira Gandhi Priyadasrshini Vriksh Award. During the winter season, the institute conducts Intermediate, Advanced, and Basic Skiing in Pahalgam and Aru and special courses for SDRF and NDRF on Mountain Search and Rescue. The training capacity of the institute is around twelve hundred at a time.
What Do We Learn During the BMC?
The basic mountaineering course teaches you how to climb on rocks and move on ice and snow. You're also taught to consider mountaineering as an art and inculcate a positive attitude towards it. During the training, you'll learn snow craft, rock craft, and ice craft. Apart from the physical activities, the training also focuses on educating the students about mountain manners, flora and fauna, first aid, and rescue. During the basic mountaineering course, the instructors assess you on your behavior with your coursemates, dedication towards learning, and punctuality. The day starts at 4 am each day and ends at 9 pm, and throughout the day, you should maintain a zen mode. Proper training is also provided to the students for acclimatization to ensure they can remain comfortable and manage their health and well-being at higher altitudes. The needs and concept of conversation of the Himalayan environment is also taught to the students.
Things to Know About Basic Mountaineering Course
The basic mountaineering course fee is approximately Rs 14,000 to 18,500 at most of the prestigious mountaineering institutes in India. If you're a foreign student, you'll have to pay higher basic mountaineering course fees. You can call or email the institute where you want to take admission for the correct information. The basic mountaineering course fees are subsidized for all and free for young trainees in the armed services who qualify for the respective course through NCC.
Before signing up for the basic mountaineering courses in India, you must undergo a medical examination. The medical exam is done to check that you're physically fit and minimize any kind of injuries during training. If you're suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular diseases or have a history of asthma or pleurisy, you should not apply for the course. Your blood pressure should also not be more than 90 mm Hg Diastolic and 140 mm Hg Systolic and your chest expansion should be a minimum of 5 cm. Students should also not be suffering from multiple corneas, osteoarthritis, sacrosciatic syndrome, internal derangement of the knee, and dislocation of shoulder joints. If you're detected with any illness or injury during the course, the institute might cancel your admission.
Most of the institutes conduct basic mountaineering training in Hindi or English. This can vary depending on the instructor's comfort and the location of the institute. If you don't know any of these languages, you must contact the authorities beforehand so that you don't have difficulty understanding whatever is taught during the training. Sign up for the basic mountaineering courses in India only if you are comfortable in the languages they offer. If not, you may look out for an alternative institute providing training in your language.
The duration of a basic mountaineering course varies depending on the rules set by the mountaineering institutes in India. But BMC is mostly a 26-day course and it adepts you with all the skill sets required to become a mountaineer. Most institutes have seven mixed courses that are spaced throughout the year. The basic mountaineering course is crafted in a way that the student gets the opportunity to develop important skills in all aspects of mountaineering. You must be very attentive for 26 days; otherwise, it can hamper your performance and overall grade. For the first 10 days, you're trained for rock climbing in the institute. After that, you will be moved to a higher camp at twelve thousand feet above sea level. You'll acclimate yourself for the next two days; after that, you'll be taken to the snowfield, where you'll be trained for the next four days. Later, you will learn the techniques of ice craft in the ice field. You'll also have to complete height training and learn river crossing techniques. On the last day, you'll give a written examination and only if you clear the exam, you'll receive the badges and a certificate.
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