Surat Diamond Industry Gets a Sparkle with India’s First B.Sc. in Jewellery Design and Manufacturing

SURAT, GUJARAT : The Surat diamond and jewellery industry, a powerhouse in the global market, is poised for a major boost with the launch of India’s first B.Sc. in Jewellery Design & Manufacturing program. Announced by the Indian Diamond Institute (IDI), a central government recognized institution, the degree course aims to bridge the skill gap in this rapidly growing sector.

The program equips students with a comprehensive skillset, encompassing both the creative and technical aspects of jewellery making. Through intensive practical training, they delve into hand-made and cast jewellery manufacturing techniques, metalwork and fabrication, stone setting, jewellery chain and bangle making, finishing, jewellery repairing, and even metal refining.

But the learning doesn’t stop at the workshop. The B.Sc. program also imparts crucial theoretical knowledge. Students gain expertise in polished diamond grading, colour gemstone identification, industrial engineering, and import-export procedures. Live projects, seminars, and assignments on business studies and market research solidify their understanding of the industry’s practicalities.

“This skill-based industry was facing a shortage of skilled manpower,” says IDI Chairman Dinesh Navadia. “Through this collaboration with the state government’s Skill University, we’re addressing this by offering the first-ever graduation course dedicated to the diamond and jewellery sector in Surat.”

Surat boasts over 8,000 diamond manufacturing units and nearly 500 jewellery manufacturing units, yet skilled employees remain a challenge. The B.Sc. program, launched in partnership with Gujarat’s Kaushalya Skill University, fills this critical void. Open to students who have completed class 12 in any stream (Arts, Science, or Commerce), the program kickstarts the admission process, paving the way for a bright future.

Graduates can secure diverse career paths. Opportunities abound as managers, supervisors, quality controllers, manual jewellery designers, CAD specialists in diamond manufacturing, and jewellery designers in manufacturing companies. The entrepreneurial spirit can flourish too, with graduates becoming freelance jewellery designers, sales executives, gemologists for laboratories, diamond graders, and even diamond importers and exporters. IDI’s campus placement initiatives further enhance employment prospects for graduates.

While jewellery design and diamond courses exist in Surat, they primarily offer certificates. The B.Sc. program elevates the educational landscape, providing students with a recognized degree and a comprehensive skillset. This initiative by IDI empowers aspiring individuals to carve a successful niche in the dazzling world of diamonds and jewellery, said Navadia.