Srinagar, July 8: In a welcome initiative, Craft Development Institute, Srinagar, has introduced an innovative 2-year postgraduate course – Master of Craft Management and Entrepreneurship.
 The programme is aimed to promote indigenous entrepreneurship equipped with the latest technology to cope with the changing market trends.
 Director, CDI Srinagar, Muhammad Shariq Farouqi told Greater Kashmir that the intake capacity for the course is 20.
 “We have already received many applications and students seem to be interesting in the new subject,” he said, adding that the new course will strategically take craft to the new heights.
 Pertinently, the last date for the submission of application forms is July 20.
 The director CDI said the course, which according to him is the first of its kind in J&K, has been recognized by Kashmir University.
 “With this initiative we aim to bring the subject of Craft Management in mainstream education,” he said adding that the CDI is working on craft development “for a long time and introduction of this program is a big step in this direction.
 A government-funded autonomous institution, the institute has been working on craft development in J&K since 2004.
 “We want to create an entrepreneurship oriented environment in Kashmir that is in line with international demand. We will also be using technology to focus at world market competition,” Farouqi said.
 The director CDI said the course will mainly deal with design innovations, development and entrepreneurship.
 “The course would help produce visionary entrepreneurs. Emphasis in this course is on quality,” he said.
 Farouqi said an entrance test will be conducted for admission to the course. “The test will comprise three levels: Management Aptitude Test (MAT), Design Aptitude Test and interview,” he said.    
 To get the admission one has qualify all the three levels.
 The director CDI said a Pashmina testing and quality certification centre would be established soon in Srinagar.
 He said: “The trend outside is that in the name of Pashmina other substandard products are being sold which will become difficult once the quality certification centre is in place,” he said.
  “We have already patented six crafts of Kashmir – which means that nobody else can sell Pashmina without the patented Kashmir tag on it,” he added.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 8 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 8 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 9 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST