The National Textiles Mission, launched by the Ministry of Textiles, has directed institutions imparting textile education to develop a curriculum for technical textiles. This initiative aims to promote the technical textiles sector, an industry that is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. The Textile Ministry has also issued general guidelines for enabling academic institutes in technical textiles.
The move is in line with the increasing demand for engineered products with specific functionality in various sectors such as automobile, construction, healthcare, geotextiles, and other industries. This segment of textile material can be designed for smart textiles, which can change the way clothes are made and used as per environmental and climatic conditions.
Technical textiles find their application in geotextiles and building materials that require specific performance characteristics tested and measured for compliance. The courses introduced by educational institutes would provide students with opportunities to learn about the necessary technology and materials for different smart textiles and the varied applications of technical textiles beyond apparel design.
The government has allocated a financial outlay of Rs, 1,480 crore for the 2020-21 to 2023-24 academic session to implement the National Textiles Mission. The course is being introduced with the aim to promote technical textiles.
For engineering, design, and fashion technology students who are eligible for the courses, some of the institutes in the state of Gujarat, which is a hub of textile industries, have already started introducing short-term courses offering a credit of 1-2 at the UG and PG level. The courses provide practical training for students to become skill-ready for the technical textiles industry.
The curriculum aims to modify the existing textile streams to include the concepts of technical textiles in textile processing technology and other functional textiles courses. In addition, the institutes are exploring short-term courses on technical textiles subject to approval from the governing body of the University. The curriculum for these short-term courses would be decided by the expert committee of the department.
Chemical modification of textile materials is necessary to enhance their usability. For instance, if cotton is genetically modified to acquire antimicrobial and absorbency properties, it becomes usable in the healthcare sector. The aim of teaching these courses is to equip the students in chemical processing to increase the fiber’s utility.
As reported, Textile Engineering and Chemical Textile students will have to study 60% theory and 40% practical work based on the revised curriculum. The new courses in the textile sector will boost productivity and sustainability by skilling the students in this emerging field.
To attract more students to pursue courses related to technical textiles, it is essential to develop the curricula relating to technical textiles in the institutes located around the textile hubs of the country, as students residing in these areas need to be skilled in this domain. It is also essential to upskill students in this emerging domain as the industry needs technically skilled manpower urgently.
In conclusion, technical textiles is an emerging field that is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, and upskilling students in this emerging field could lead to the development of new products with specific functionality across various sectors. Through this initiative, the government aims to bridge the skill gap by promoting technical textiles and making the youths ready for career opportunities in this emerging field.
