Short answer: the Yoga Certification Board (YCB), under India's Ministry of AYUSH, certifies yoga professionals at six levels — from Level 1, Yoga Protocol Instructor, to Level 6, Yoga Therapist. Most new teachers start at Level 2 or Level 3. Each certificate is earned by passing YCB's exam, which a course prepares you for.
The levels
- Level 1 — Yoga Protocol Instructor: leads the Common Yoga Protocol, for example at community and International Day of Yoga sessions.
- Level 2 — Yoga Wellness Instructor: teaches yoga for health and wellbeing to groups. A common first professional certificate.
- Level 3 — Yoga Teacher & Evaluator: teaches yoga in depth and can assess students. Suited to teachers who want to run classes and courses.
- Level 4 — Yoga Master: the senior teaching credential, for experienced teachers who train others.
- Level 5 — Assistant Yoga Therapist and Level 6 — Yoga Therapist: therapy credentials for working with health conditions alongside medical care.
How the exam works
The exam has a theory part and a practical part, in which you demonstrate practices and, at teaching levels, teach. The exam fee is paid to YCB, separately from the course fee. On our course pages the YCB exam fees listed for Indian candidates are ₹5,605 for Level 2, ₹7,375 for Level 3, ₹9,735 for Level 4 and ₹8,555 for Level 6 — check the YCB website for the current figure before you apply.
Which level should you take?
- New to teaching: Level 2.
- Already practising seriously, or holding an RYT 200: Level 3.
- Teaching for some years and training others: Level 4.
- Working with health conditions: Level 6.
Our online YCB courses cover Levels 2, 3, 4 and 6, taught live from Rishikesh with exam preparation and help registering for the exam.
