According to the ministry, a grant of upto ₹20,000 per student per month shall be provided to the empaneled companies for providing internships to B.Tech students of relevant Departments/Specializations in Public/Private Institutes under the GIST guidelines.

Addressing a press briefing, Textiles Secretary Rachna Shah said that move will support in creating quality manpower, especially industry-trained engineers and professionals, and highly skilled workmen both for manufacturing and application areas of technical textiles along with fostering Academia – Industry linkages in the field of Technical Textiles.

The guidelines cover the funding of the upgradation/ enhancement of laboratory equipment, training of lab personnel and specialised training of faculty members of the relevant department/specialisation in the university/institute, with respect to the undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG) degree programmes. 

“This will cover public-funded institutions and also private institutions having NIRF ranking. The assistance for introducing a full course in technical textiles can be up to 20 crore for the PG course and up to 10 crore at the UG level. At UG level, introducing one mandatory subject and few electives, grant up to 7.5 crore may be given,” it said.

The Ministry of Textiles has given clearance to two guidelines — ‘General Guidelines for Enabling of Academic Institutes in Technical Textiles – for Private & Public Institutes’ and ‘General Guidelines for Grant for Internship Support in Technical Textiles (GIST)’ — under the flagship programme of National Technical Textiles Mission.

The clearance was given during a meeting of the Empowered Programme Committee (EPC). 

The Ministry of Textiles intends to develop eco-system in technical textiles not only in textile field but other disciplines of Engineering like Civil, Mechanical, Electronics etc., Agriculture institutes, Medical Colleges, Fashion institutes.

“The guidelines will put emphasis on creating an effective and world-class knowledge ecosystem to make India a world leader in the field of technical textiles in the next decade. India will take a huge leap in the cutting-edge research, production, and innovative applications related to Technical Textiles, driven by the set of highly educated and competent professionals,” it said.

The implementation of General Guidelines for Grant for Internship Support in Technical Textiles (GIST) will be conducted in two phases.

The empanelled industries/ institutions can give training to engineering institutes of concerned discipline in public-funded institutions and also to private institutions with NIRF ranking up to 200.

“This move will support in creating quality manpower, especially industry-trained engineers and professionals, and highly skilled workmen both for manufacturing and application areas of technical textiles along with fostering Academia-Industry linkages in the field of Technical Textiles,” the statement said.