Himachal's first fashion institute to start this year

Himachal Pradesh’s first National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) will begin its first academic session later this year, by taking a batch of 175 students for a four-year course.

“The Centre has already given its nod for setting up the NIFT centre as the state government has already sanctioned Rs 18 acres of land in Kangra, besides providing buildings and a budgetry allocation of Rs 58 crore,” the State Technical Education Minister Narender Bragta said.

“Work on the new buildings of the NIFT will begin in a fortnight or so,” he said. Bragta said the hill state’s first Indian Institute of Technology(IIT) to be set up at Mandi will also take in 120 students for its first batch from this academic session in July this year.

“Keeping in view the huge demand in the state's booming hydro power and pharmaceutical sectors, the state government is in constant touch with the industry and starting new courses in engineering, poly-technical, and ITI institutions across the state so that this demand is met,” he said.

He said since the demand had grown significantly in the last few years, the state government had proposed to the Centre for opening a technical university in the state.

It is mandatory for the industry in the state to employ atleast 70 per cent of local staff. But this is hardly met, as industrial units say there isn't enough trained manpower available in Himachal Pradesh.