Amritsar, May 16, 2023– With a view to positioning India as the Global Leader in Technical Textiles, the Ministry of Textiles launched the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM). The Mission aims to drive four key components under Technical Textiles – Research, Innovation and Development; Promotion and Market Development; Education, Skilling and Training; and Export Promotion. One of the major factors affecting the growth of technical textiles in the country is the lack of quality manpower, especially technically educated and trained engineers and professionals, and highly skilled workmen both for manufacturing and application areas of technical textiles. Therefore, in order to become a world leader and pioneer in the field of technical textiles in the next decade, India has to lay focused emphasis on creating an effective knowledge and world-class skill ecosystem. Under the Education, Skilling and Training component, the goal is to enhance the level of education of prospective Indian Engineers in Technical Textiles to ensure an adequate volume of talent in the segment. In view of the above, NTTM envisages contributing to improving the learning levels of public and private institutes through various appropriate interventions in terms of Degree Programmes like development in the form of the New Technical Textiles Degree Programme (UG & PG) by upgrading the existing conventional degree programmes running in textile institute/universities with the inclusion of new subjects focused on technical textiles.
Dr Varinder Kaur, Head, of the Department of Apparel and Textile Technology of Guru Nanak Dev University said that the department had organized Technical Textiles Conclave, Punjab on Opportunities and way forward for technical textiles, on 28th February 2023 in collaboration with Punjab State Council for Science & Technology, CII, Punjab, Textile Industry Associations of Punjab And Technology Enabling Centre, Panjab University. The outcome of discussions with the experts from industry as well as academia has led to starting of B.Tech (4-year) degree programme in Technical textiles from 2023-24 academic sessions along with the existing B.Tech in Textile Processing technology. The course curriculum is designed as per need of an hour. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar is the first and only university in India to have this course.
Dr. Sachin Kumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Apparel and Textile Technology of the University said that the department has also started Five year integrated programme (FYIP) in Fashion Designing after 12th pass out students in any stream. This programme is designed on new education policy (NEP-2020) of government of India. The details of which can be gathered from university website gndu.ac.in . This course provides fundamental as well as advanced knowledge about the technologies involved in the fashion designing and garment construction. The students will get opportunities to work in garment manufacturing units/export houses/retail chains/textile/fashion as a designer. Graduate of this new fashion designing programme will have multiple skills set and they can become an entrepreneur and start their own ventures ( such as boutique, garment retails store, garment manufacturing unit, garment house, fabric and garment trading business). Post-graduate students in fashion designing will also have opportunities to work as a teaching professional in school, diploma and degree colleges as well as work as lab instructor in university and college level in the respective streams.
By: Madhur Vyas
