Yoga can be a full-time career, like careers in other industries. As a part of the health and fitness segment, it will continue to be in demand. But it is also a fact that only a few takes it up as a first career option or as a full-time occupation. Then again, it has become a female predominant field. In my teacher’s training course, 99% of trainees are female. This holds good across geographies. Yes, indeed, tutoring is more commonly seen as a part-time job rather than a full-time profession. In order for tutoring to truly flourish as a career, individuals should approach and pursue it with the same level of dedication and commitment as any other profession.
If anyone is interested in making it a career, the first thing that comes to mind is how to go about it. What are the courses/degrees/diplomas available? Is there any structure to it, and are there some regulations that prescribe, evaluate, and standardize the field? Which are the centers, schools, colleges, and universities that offer such courses? Is it universal or country-specific?
Unfortunately, one doesn’t find answers to these questions in one place. We shall discuss this aspect in a way that it becomes easier for you to make an informed choice.
In India, some colleges provide graduation (bachelor’s degree) and post-graduation (master’s degree) courses in yoga. Then, there are universities that offer a doctoral degree (PhD) in yoga. Some colleges offer a course that combines Yoga with Naturopathy. SVYASA (Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhan Sansthan) is a university in India dedicated entirely to Yoga. The scope of yoga education differs from state to state in India.
Yoga Certification Board of India (YCB)
In India, the government has set up a Yoga Certification Board (YCB) under the Ministry of AYUSH. YCB is entrusted with the responsibility of certifying yoga professionals as well as accrediting yoga institutions. They prescribe the syllabus, conduct examinations for various levels, and award certificates. Currently, 4 types of courses are on offer.
Yoga Protocol Instructor: Level 1. 200 hours
Yoga Wellness Instructor: Level 2. 400 hours
Yoga Teacher & Evaluator: Level 3. 800 hour
Yoga Master: Level 4 – 1600 hours
Level 1 – They are eligible to teach Yoga Protocol developed by the Ministry of AYUSH for International Yoga Day to the public. They can teach the same protocol in parks and societies. The limitation is they are not allowed to teach yoga to the public and corporates.
Level 2 – They are eligible to teach yoga in schools, studios, and to corporates. This is an ideal course for those who want to build a career in yoga.
Level 3 – They are master trainers eligible to teach yoga in educational institutions and yoga teacher training centers. They can also act as evaluators and assessors for yoga professionals. It is an ideal course if you want to be an evaluator and examiner for YCB courses.
Level 4 – They are master educators. They can teach, evaluate, and assess all levels of professionals. They are eligible to teach yoga in universities, other educational institutes, and yoga teacher training centers.
In any case, students have varying expectations and career goals. Depending on their requirements, they can decide which course they would like to pursue. As per YCB regulations, one can straightaway go for level 2, 3, or even 4 courses. If anyone wants to pursue level 4, one can do so without completing earlier levels 1, 2, and 3. Ideally, if you want to be an evaluator (examiner), you must do level 3. If you’re interested in acquiring knowledge, have a philosophical interest, and/or want to start your own TTC, level 4 is the way to go.
The most popular and general-purpose course is level 2 – 400 hours – the Yoga Wellness Instructor course. It is a basic course that a teacher must take to start her journey as a yoga teacher. Level 2 is good enough to start with.
There are no age and qualification bars for these courses. Anyone can take these courses, regardless of age or educational qualification. These courses will enable you to become a government-certified teacher. Apart from yoga professionals, YCB also accredits yoga centers and schools that provide training for all these levels. Accredited institutions and schools have limited reach, so courses are also offered in private centers and schools. One advantage of YCB is that students can self-study and take exams, which are held monthly and sometimes on multiple dates within a month. The pass percentage is 70. Further details can be had from- (https:yogacertificationboard.nic.in).
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