IICD Jaipur

Indian Institute of Crafts and Design is an innovative, first of its kind Institute set up by the Government of Rajasthan, to develop human resources for the craft sector. Presently it is being managed by the Ambuja Educational Institute (AEI) under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.


Human resource development for the craft sector is important because such development impacts the life and livelihood of artisans. The Institute’s activities and programmes are focused towards this raison d’êtres. The education, research and publication programmes of the Institute are the intellectual knowledge developing and disseminating programmes. The training and outreach programs strengthen the education programme and carry forward the Institute’s objectives. The advocacy helps voice of the artisans to be heard. Over the years the Institute has been able to develop a synergy between its various programmes, so that each develops on the others strength. The crafts with their unique technology, resource base, understanding of local ecology and production style, are on the threshold of unprecedented and discontinuous change. The handicrafts sector is at the initial stages of agglomeration as an industry.

Crafts are moving from the local to the global arena. In such a scenario, human resource development for the craft sector becomes important, more so because of low levels of literacy and education among the artisans. Even though craft production remains inherently skill based, yet the long term success and sustainability of crafts and artisans depends on development of systematic process, requisite competencies for raw material procurement, product development, quality control and marketing. These changes have to be accepted by the artisans also. The craft sector in Indian has sociological and cultural roots. The younger generation of artisans has to believe in the tradition and also adapt to emerging opportunities. A cadre of young professionals dedicated to craft sector can be effective change agents. The Institute has been well accepted by the industry and the apex bodies for handicrafts and handloom development. The proof of this lies in the fact that the successive batches of Undergraduate and Post Graduate Diploma students in Crafts and Design has been placed well. The Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) has empanelled the IICD students as designers for its design projects. The Institute’s projects have been well appreciated and recognized by the client agencies and steadily, the Institute is moving to live up to its mandate.