The Press Information Bureau (PIB) Delhi reported that the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), a statutory body established under the NIFT Act, 2006 by the Ministry of Textiles, is actively promoting research and academic growth in the textile and apparel sectors. NIFT runs Ph.D. programmes and extends financial assistance to full-time research scholars through the Teaching Fellowship, which covers a monthly stipend, a contingency grant, and House Rent Allowance (HRA) for a period of up to four years.
Scholars who are not recipients of this fellowship can still receive support by working as Project Fellows or Industry Chair Fellows under externally funded collaborations. Additionally, NIFT offers final semester students of all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes the opportunity to undertake sponsored, industry-based research projects. Each such project pairs the student with both an academic mentor from NIFT and an industry mentor from the sponsoring organisation, encouraging applied research and fostering industry engagement at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Furthermore, a scholarship of up to ₹2.00 lakh per annum per child (for up to two children) is available to the children of handloom weavers and workers for pursuing 3/4-year diploma, undergraduate, or postgraduate courses at Central/State Government recognised or funded textile institutions.
In addition, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued guidelines to all Higher Education Institutions to design curricula in technical textiles and participate in the National Technical Textile Mission (NTTM) by submitting relevant proposals.
This information was shared by the Minister of State for Textiles, Shri Pabitra Margherita, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.