KATHMANDU: Six of Nepal's leading mountaineering organisations have jointly urged the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) to restart its Basic Mountaineering Training (BMT) and Advanced Mountaineering Training (AMT) courses, which have remained suspended since 2019, warning that the gap is undermining the pipeline of skilled mountain professionals in the country.

The call came via a joint memorandum submitted to NMA leadership by a delegation from the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA), Sagarmatha Climbers' Association, Mount Everest Summiteers Club, Khumbu Climbing Association, Gandaki Alpine Club (GAC) and the Nepal Mountaineering Instructors' Association (NMIA). The delegation included NNMGA president Tulsi Gurung, NMIA general secretary Pasang Tendi Sherpa, Sagarmatha Climbers' Association representative Shiva Sapkota, Khumbu Climbing Association president Pemba Jangbu Sherpa, and GAC founder president Narendra Shahi Thakuri.

The BMT programme dates back to 1979, launched with technical support from the Slovenian Alpine Association, while AMT was developed later with backing from France's École Nationale de Ski et d'Alpinisme (ENSA). Both have for decades served as the backbone of Nepal's training system for mountaineers, climbing guides and rescue personnel. Though halted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the courses have not resumed even as the tourism and mountaineering sectors have fully recovered, stakeholders said.

The delegation warned that the extended suspension has left a void in the professional development pathway for aspiring guides, with possible knock-on effects for safety standards, service quality and Nepal's standing as a global mountaineering destination.

They also flagged unfinished work on the country's broader guide-certification framework. While occupational standards for Aspirant Mountain Guide (Level 3) and Mountain Guide (Level 4) have already been certified by the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) and the National Skill Testing Board (NSTB), standards for the foundational Level 1 and Level 2 remain unfinalised. Newer foundation-level courses introduced in recent years, the delegation noted, do not offer the same progression route the BMT-AMT system once provided.

Stakeholders stressed that reviving the two programmes would go beyond simply restoring old courses — it would help secure a long-term supply of technically competent professionals to meet rising demand in international mountain tourism. The organisations pledged technical expertise, institutional backing and professional cooperation to support NMA in relaunching the training, and expressed hope the association would act on the memorandum and work collaboratively to restore what they called an essential pillar of Nepal's mountaineering education system.