JD Institute of Fashion Technology, a national design institute claims to have made an effort to gather a wealth of information from established design education systems in other countries. The institute further claims that while it has  incorporated key elements from these sources, it has  also tailored their approach to suit the Indian context, Akshra Dalal, director, JD Institute of Fashion Technology, told FE Education. “Our alumni network is robust and we provide numerous opportunities for industry interaction from day one. You won’t just learn in the classroom; industry professionals will also present their work and you’ll receive real-time feedback, ensuring your career begins from your first semester,” she said.

The institution claims to provide a range of educational programmes in fields such as Fashion Designing, Communication, Graphic Designing, User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) Design and Event Management. These programmes include undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma and short-term courses. The undergraduate programmes typically have  a duration of four years, while postgraduate programmes span two years. Diploma courses typically last for one year and short-term courses vary in duration, ranging from three-six months. Tuition fees differ for each programme. For undergraduate courses, the fees range from Rs 1.10-1.75 lakh per semester. Postgraduate programme fees vary between Rs 1-1.8 lakh per semester. Diploma courses have a fixed fee of Rs 88,000 per semester and short-term courses are priced between Rs 60,000-80,000 for the entire duration of the course, according to the institution.

The institute asserts that it has more than 40 campuses across the country and claims to have placed its students into brands including Reliance, H&M, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Sabyasachi. Additionally, it claims to have collaborated with Cumulus, an international design association boasting connections to approximately 256 universities spanning across 66 countries. “This partnership serves as a strategic conduit for the institute, facilitating collaborative initiatives with diverse universities worldwide and enhancing its global outreach endeavours,” Dalal said.

Furthermore, the institute affirms to have initiated the London Research Programme. Recognising London as one of the fashion capitals, the institute aims to expand its presence and explore opportunities in the city. Collaboration with various colleges, including the University Arts London, which encompasses the London College of Fashion and Jersey School, became an integral part of this endeavour and also falls under the government’s National Education Policy (NEP2020).  Courses offered through this programme are claimed to be crafted through collaborative efforts between the institute and its partner institutions. “Access to these courses is restricted to our students, and outsiders cannot enrol in them. Each year, we assess the current market trends and identify a university or college specialising in the relevant area. Subsequently, we establish contact with the chosen institution, jointly develop a course curriculum, and make it available to our students at a highly affordable cost,” Dalal added.