SRINAGAR: Craft Development Institute (CDI) and Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), Baghi-Ali-Mardan, Nowshera, Srinagar have both been declared as J&K’s maiden 'Centre of Excellence' (CoE) in Handicrafts and Carpet Sector, officials said.
The twin CoE in skilling ecosystem have been envisioned to be one stop resource centres for raising training standards, boost productivity, address emerging skill-gaps and align training.
It has also performed research with the current industry needs with the intent to overcome skill demand-supply mismatch and to have continuous supply of skilled workforce and disseminate best practices.
The Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir (DHHK) had submitted two proposals in the month of February 2022 to Handicrafts and Carpet Sector Skill Council of India for recognizing CDI and IICT as Centre of Excellence in Traditional and Heritage Crafts, an official spokesman said.
The key objectives of the CoE CDI and IICT include conducting high quality training in Handicrafts and Carpet sector with special focus on reviving the languishing crafts and new and future crafts with emerging technologies.
The CoE shall also work towards developing association between academia and industry for the benefit of the skill development sector.
It will also conduct Research and Development in Handicrafts and Carpet sector and disseminate the results of the R&D and other activities through filling of patents and transforming them into sustainable business proposals and solutions.
It shall also provide support to creative and innovative designs with respect to crafts based on the emerging national and international demands.
It will also establish a sound new institutional base for executing the programmes and projects by strengthening the existing infrastructure.
Director, Handicrafts and Handloom, Kashmir said, “These CoE institutions are first of its kind in Handicrafts and Carpet Sector in J&K”.

The heritage crafts from J&K shall be taken to the global level by introducing frugal design innovations and develop a unique academia-industry model for the better product development to revive the Handicrafts and Carpet industry, he said. (UNI)