In acknowledgement of the stellar role NIFT has played in developing India’s textiles and fashion industry, it was recently accorded the status of an Institute of National Importance

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) — the country’s premier fashion design, management and technology institute — was promoted in New Delhi in 1986 under the aegis of the Union ministry of textiles and Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), New York. Over the past two decades, the institute has promoted seven regional affiliates in Kolkata, Chennai, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore. Its pan-India presence has enabled NIFT alumni to assume leadership positions in India’s fast track textiles, garments and haute couture industries.

In acknowledgement of the stellar role it has played in developing India’s fashion industry, NIFT was recently accorded the status of an Institute of National Importance by President Abdul Kalam. The award places NIFT on a par with the blue-chip Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs).

“Our institutional objective is to develop NIFT into a centre of excellence and innovation and a growth catalyst of the fashion business through education leadership. Benchmarking performance and processes in the areas of fashion education, research and development, training and consultancy are our chosen methodologies for attaining excellence. Integrating design, management and technology and empowering the crafts community to retain regional characteristics and position their cultural identity in the global market are also high on our agenda,” says Gauri Kumar, director general of NIFT.

Undoubtedly, since it was somewhat hesitantly promoted in the national capital two decades ago by the then floundering Union ministry of textiles, NIFT, Delhi, if not its seven regional clones, has built an excellent reputation for producing high fashion garments and trendsetting couturiers including JJ Valaya, Ritu Beri, and Manish Arora. The regional institutes too, have shaped top-rung fashion designers such as Manish Malhotra and Narendra Kumar (Mumbai), Prasad Bidapa (Bangalore), and several mondaine page 3 fashion gurus and divas. More significantly, NIFT has contributed over 5,000 well-trained textiles and garment industry professionals who are masterminding India’s global charge as a major textiles and garment player in the new post-WTO international order.

Modelled after India’s highly respected and successful IIMs and IITs which were also promoted by the Central government, the teaching-learning process in the seven NIFTs involves creation of a cohesive, contextual and nurturing environment for students. The emphasis is on professional development through standardised pedagogy. “This involves sharing of learning processes between faculty and industry whose feedback and guidance is crucial to students’ understanding, development, and maturity,” says NIFT spokesperson Pavan Kaushik.

Moreover NIFT faculty are trained in some of the leading design and fashion institutes of the world, and bring to the classroom professional capabilities, wide exposure and years of hands-on industry experience. “The examination system focuses upon task-based assign-ments, interactive industry projects, intern-ships, research surveys and written examinations throughout the year,” explains P. Joshi, a faculty member. In 1997, a common board examination (CBE) based on evaluation in core subjects was introduced across all NIFT centres to ensure uniform bench-marking. Moreover evaluation matrices for all disciplines incorporate the process of continuous and term-end evaluations.

With effect from 2006, NIFT centres propose to introduce a new curriculum based on a US-style 10+2+4 pattern for undergrad programmes, which NIFT spokespersons say is consonant with the global professional education system. This will also enable NIFT graduates to become more acceptable to design, management and technology education institutions of higher education abroad. The new multi-disciplinary curriculum is being designed to incorporate IT, CADD and web-based technologies closely allied to industry practices for holistic development of future fashion professionals.

Following the examples of the IIMs and IITs, NIFT has accorded utmost importance to infrastructure, including state-of-the-art machines and equipment to match contemporary trends. For instance NIFT, Delhi is sited on a four-acre campus with two buildings housing 13 classrooms, a national resource centre (library) with 15,000 volumes, 130 magazine and journal subscriptions, a CD collection, laser printers and digital scanners, two computer labs and archival collections of its star alumni. 

Over the years, NIFT has negotiated several collaboration agreements with renowned fashion and design institutions worldwide. Its alliance partners include the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York; Nottingham Trent University, UK and recently the Royal Melbourne Institute of Textiles, Australia. The agreements facilitate faculty and student exchanges, joint research and academic activities, and e-learning initiatives. NIFT is also a founder member of the International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI), a council of 23 fashion schools.

NIFT’s placement activities are centralised and its placement cell ensures on-campus recruitment of graduating students in all seven affiliates. The institute boasts a 100 percent placement record since inception and has placed its 8,000-plus alumni in highly reputed domestic and international organisations, with an average start-up remuneration of Rs.2.5 lakh per year. 

Study at NIFT

As against over 20,000 admission applications in the year 2005, NIFT offered 1,410 seats in its seven affiliates across the country. An additional capacity of 15 percent is reserved for foreign nationals and NRIs.

For admission into NIFT’s undergrad programmes, the eligibility criterion is successful completion of Plus Two with physics, chemistry and maths. For postgrad programmes, a B.Tech or equivalent is mandatory. Admission is based on performance in an all-India entrance examination held in various cities across the country in May. Shortlisted candidates are called for a group discussion and interview.

NIFT offers the following study programmes: 

Undergraduate (three years). Fashion design and accessories design
 
Postgraduate (two years). Apparel marketing and merchandising management; fashion communication; textile design and development; knitwear design and technology; leather apparel design and technology; garment manufacturing technology 

Tuition fee (annual). For Indian students Rs.55,000. For foreign and NRI students Rs.3 lakh. 

For further information contact D.K. Rangra, Registrar, Ph: 011-26965080; email: admission@niftindia.com

Neeta Lal (Delhi)