The Certificate Programme in Gardening (CPIG) is a short-term distance education programme offered by Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University (UPRTOU), Prayagraj, under its School of Agriculture Sciences. The programme is designed to impart practical and theoretical knowledge of gardening, horticulture, plant care, landscaping, and related agricultural practices. Offered entirely in distance/open learning mode, the CPIG has a minimum duration of 6 months (extendable up to 2 years), making it highly accessible to individuals with minimal formal education. The total fee is Rs. 3,200, and admission is direct with no entrance examination. The programme is popular among gardeners, nursery workers, homemakers, farmers, and individuals seeking to develop professional skills in horticulture and landscaping.
Admission for the January 2026 session is currently ongoing. The last date for admission has been extended to April 10, 2026. Students can apply online through the UPRTOU Samarth portal at uprtouadm.samarth.edu.in. The July 2026 session is expected to open around July 2026, based on the previous year's schedule.
Distance Mode Study Centres:
UPRTOU operates through a wide network of authorised study centres spread across Uttar Pradesh. The CPIG programme is offered through these study centres located across districts including Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Meerut, Aligarh, Bareilly, Mathura, Jhansi, Moradabad, Azamgarh, Faizabad (Ayodhya), and other districts of Uttar Pradesh. Students must select a study centre at the time of admission. The complete and updated list of study centres offering CPIG can be checked on the official UPRTOU portal at count.uprtouexam.in.
Key Points
- Offered exclusively in Distance/Open Learning mode through UPRTOU's authorised study centres across Uttar Pradesh
- Programme Code: 1084; Medium of instruction: Hindi and English
- Minimum duration is 6 months; maximum permissible duration is 2 years
- Very low eligibility requirement - only 8th Pass (Class 8) qualification needed
- No entrance exam required; admission is direct
- Covers practical aspects of gardening, horticulture, plant propagation, landscaping, and nursery management
- Ideal for gardeners, nursery workers, farmers, homemakers, and those seeking employment in horticulture
- Study material (SLM - Self Learning Material) is provided by the university
Comments