In fashion industry, the turning point came about when the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) was established in 1986. It was set up under aegis of the ministry of textiles. The objective was to channelize the indigenous creativity into garment industry. It has to train students in design, management and technology so as to prepare the Indian designers to assume leadership in the global scenario. The school was the brainchild of Pupul Jaykar, India’s cultural czarina. The school tied up with New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). The institute brought about a change in the social attitude towards fashion which was considered a frivolous activity. The NFIT made it a serious business. The retail boom has expanded the range of opportunities offered to the young designers. NIFT’s alumni include Ritu Beri, Manish Arora, Ashish Soni and Rajesh Pratap Singh. It receives 20,000 plus applications for 2000 seats every year. There is an undergraduate course, 4-year B.Tech. There is project work in the last semester.It is headquartered in Delhi and has centres spread across India — Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Gandhinagar and Rae Bareli. New centres coming up are at Kanpur, Bhopal, Shillong and Patna.They intend to set up centres abroad.Though a government school, it has academic autonomy as far as curriculum and day-to-day running is concerned. NIFT helped set up Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) in 1998. NIFT also has faculty development and exposure programmes. It has to develop fashion literature and documents.