In a significant boost to forest governance and environmental education, the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), an autonomous institution under the central government, is set to establish its second campus in West Bengal, at Kurseong in the Darjeeling hills.
The institute plans to roll out MBA and specialised programmes in forest conservation and livelihoods from 2026. The Kurseong campus will focus on some of India’s most pressing ecological challenges ~ climate change, human-wildlife conflict, forest-dependent livelihoods, the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, and issues related to eviction and conservation. These themes, officials said, are central to balancing development with environmental protection and expanding India’s forest cover. Professor Yogesh Kumar Dubey, Chief Executive Officer of IIFM, said the Kurseong institute would train future forest managers and policy professionals capable of responding to complex socio-ecological realities.
“The objective is to equip students with management skills rooted in conservation ethics and community engagement, enabling them to contribute meaningfully to sustainable forest governance,” he said. The proposed campus is being developed on land that once housed a Christian missionary centre. The property was later acquired by the central government, which has initiated the process to transform it into a modern, state-of-the-art academic facility. The IIFM is also setting up its third campus at Mayurbhanj in Odisha on around 200 acres of land. According to Prof Dubey, the expansion aligns with the Union government’s wildlife protection and forest conservation policies. “These campuses will act as advanced training hubs, preparing students for leadership roles in forestry, conservation management, and allied services, including the Indian Forest Service,” he added.
The expansion comes amid sustained criticism from opposition political parties and environmental groups, who have accused governments of allowing industrial projects in wildlife habitats and large-scale diversion of forest land. Against this backdrop, the establishment of two new forest management institutes is being projected as a commitment to science-based conservation and sustainable development.
The IIFM Bhopal, the institute’s flagship campus spread over nearly 300 acres, has already gained international recognition. Recently, it hosted a transformative three-day training workshop on “Business Development Planning for Forest Fringe Villages,” attended by nearly 150 Indian Forest Service officers from across the country, including West Bengal. The programme aimed to help officers transition from traditional regulatory roles to becoming “green economy architects.”
Architect Anant Raje designed the campus to blend seamlessly with nature, maintaining open spaces and ecological balance. In West Bengal, particularly in the Dooars and Sundarbans regions, innovative measures such as drone surveillance for elephant movement and special transport arrangements for students during examinations underscore the growing intersection of conservation and daily life.