The Union government is contemplating to introduce doctorate in fashion technology at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), disclosed Union Minister for Textile Shankersinh Vaghela here today.

Vaghela, who was addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone of the NIFT’s 13th centre at Kangra, said though NIFT is a renowned fashion technology institute the world over, the doctorate degree would help groom fashion designers further. He claimed that the NIFT has 100 per cent placement and no students passing out from this institute remains unemployed.

Saying that this would be the second branch in north India after New Delhi, he said admissions in the institute would start from April this year and admissions would be made through a national-level entrance test. The institute would not only produce designers of quality, but would also help in boosting the tourism industry in this hill state, he maintained.

Vaghela assured Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal that the Union government would sympathetically consider the demand of the state for a pilot project for sheep under the Integrated Wool Improvement and Development Programme.

He said he would ask the National Wool Board to study the Rs 7-crore project submitted by the state government. Thanking the Union Minister for laying the foundation stone of NIFT, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the NIFT is a gift from the Centre. The Chief Minister said the National Hydro Power Corporation, the National Thermal Power Corporation and the Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited had also jointly agreed to open an engineering college in the state, where engineering in hydro power generation would also be taught. He said the foundation stone of the IIT and super-speciality ESI hospital in Mandi district would be laid next month.

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