National Institute of Fashion Technology
Set up in 1986 under the Ministry of Textiles, NIFT is the pioneering institute of fashion education in the country and has been at the vanguard of providing professional talent to the textile and apparel industry.
It was made a statutory institute in 2006 by an Act of the Indian Parliament, with the President of India as its Visitor, and has full-fledged campuses across the country. Over the years NIFT has also worked as a knowledge service provider to the Union and State governments in the design development and positioning of handlooms and handicrafts.
NIFT pioneered fashion education by establishing industry chairs in design, manufacturing and retail. The purpose of an industry chair is to develop and execute a high-impact research agenda, build multi-investigator programmes and multi-disciplinary laboratories, develop innovative training programmes and curricula, and foster collaboration across industry and academia.
NIFT is recognised as the premier institute for fashion education, and continuously evolves to keep abreast of changing market trends. The emphasis is on training students to draw from the core strength of art and culture and apply it to the modern, dynamic world of fashion. Graduates are given a cutting-edge understanding through exposure to emerging challenges, developments, techniques, technology and practice from around the world. The degrees awarded by the institute are recognised worldwide.
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Age | The candidate should be less than 24 years of age as on 1 August of the year of admission. The upper age limit may be relaxed by five years for candidates from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Persons With Disability categories. |
| Academic — B.Des. | 10+2 in any stream |
| Academic — B.F.Tech. | 10+2 with Mathematics and Physics |
NIFT offers a doctoral programme through its head office in Delhi, in recognition of high academic achievement, independent research and the application of knowledge in design, management and technology as applied to textiles, fashion, lifestyle, apparel, craft and related fields. Interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary research is also encouraged.
Scholars are expected to demonstrate independent research and thought leadership through publications in academic journals and scholarly presentations of their work. The programme has two phases: two years of course work, completed by passing a comprehensive exam, followed by thesis research.
PhD scholars have worked in anthropometry and fit, product development, technology development, textiles, sustainability, marketing, human resource management, trend studies and craft studies. The programme launched in 2009 with seven students; 53 students are currently pursuing a PhD and 31 scholars have been awarded one so far.
The curriculum aims to give students a rich repertoire of experience and understanding, inculcating both the desire and the capability for lifelong learning. Industry engagement is treated as a learning process: exposure to a real working environment as part of the academic curriculum helps students develop academic, personal and professional competencies, along with a deeper understanding of the ethics and values that distinguish a good professional.
The Craft Cluster Initiative gives students continuous exposure to Indian culture and to traditional handloom and handicraft clusters, creating an opportunity for creative innovation and experimentation at the grassroots level.
Through this exposure, NIFT students act as young change agents, using the skills of the handloom and handicraft sectors to develop niche contemporary products. Faculty contribute by monitoring student activities and providing customised training and design inputs, enhancing the commercial value of the products the artisans make.
These interactions give young design professionals a stronger rural connect and a greater appreciation of Indian culture and aesthetics.
NIFT’s academic strategy embraces internationalism. International collaborations let students take part in competitions, seminars, research and other events abroad, while faculty-level alliances open up academic advancement and joint research through exchange programmes.
Among the successful collaborations, the partnership between NIFT and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York offers selected meritorious students the chance to earn dual degrees from both institutes in four years — two years at NIFT, one year at FIT, then a return to NIFT to complete their studies. Around 57 NIFT students took admission at FIT in their third year during 2021-22. A partnership with the Swiss Textile College also gives students a three-week short-term summer programme in Switzerland.
Key partner institutes include the Fashion Institute of Technology and North Carolina State University in the USA; Queensland University of Technology in Australia; De Montfort University, Glasgow School of Arts and Nottingham Trent University in the UK; Swiss Textile College in Switzerland; ENSAIT in France; Politecnico di Milano and NABA in Italy; Saxion University of Applied Sciences and the Amsterdam Fashion Institute in the Netherlands; Bunka Gakuen University in Japan; and KEA Copenhagen School of Design and Technology in Denmark, among many others.
NIFT is also a member of the International Foundation for Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI) and of Cumulus, an international body serving art and design education and research.
On-campus placements
Companies are invited for campus placements, organised for all eligible final-year students across NIFT campuses.
Pre-placement offers
Companies can extend a pre-placement offer before on-campus placement, which counts as a job offer. These are usually made on the basis of internships, training or projects undertaken with that company. Companies inform NIFT of such offers so that students who receive one do not take part in the rest of the placement process.
Off-campus placements
After campus placements conclude, the institute continues to facilitate opportunities through off-campus drives, where companies that could not attend raise their requirements through the Industry and Alumni Affairs unit. Placements at NIFT are on an upward trajectory, with more overseas opportunities, more pre-placement offers and higher pay packages.
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