Fashion Design & Technology (FDT)

Women constitute about 48% of the total population of the country.But, in employment market, out of the 397 million employed population in 1999-2000, women are only about 123 million.Even of this, only about 5 million women are in organized sector while remaining 118 million are in un-organized sector.Realizing that the process of social development has to take into account the needs, interests and viewpoints of both men & women alike; and looking at the situation of women, gender inequalities and inequities that existed, special gender specific programmes were formulated and organized to mainstream women into economic activities.

The Women’s Vocational Training Programme at Directorate General of Employment and Training (DGE&T), Ministry of Labour & Employment were designed and launched in 1977. Now it is in Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The programme attempts to promote the women employment in industry (mainly organised sector) as semi-skilled/skilled & highly skilled workers by increasing their participation in skill training facilities under Craftsmen Training Scheme and Advanced Skill Training Scheme and also the Apprentices training scheme. Programme also offers higher skill training for the Instructors of various skill training organisations.To achieve this objective, women exclusive Institutes have been set up both under Central Sector and Centrally sponsored Schemes.