The ministry of food processing industries (MoFPI) has recently constituted the Food Processing Education Council (FPEC).
The FPEC is aimed at providing the government inputs on the working of the two premier institutions running under the ministry - Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology (IICPT) and National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) - a deemed university.
“It was felt that the food processing industry, which was a sunrise sector in the country to be able to function in accordance with the global standards, would require skilled food experts, food managers and technologists. Therefore to guide the two institutions under the ministry, the council was envisaged on the lines of IITs to provide best of the food experts to the industry,” explained a senior official with the ministry, while talking to FnB News.
The FPEC was created with an executive order after a meeting held in the MoFPI on April 29, 2013, chaired by Sharad Pawar, Union minister of agriculture and food processing industries; and attended by Charan Das Mahant and Tariq Anwar, ministers of state for agriculture and food processing industries; and senior officials including Rakesh Kacker, then secretary, MoFPI.
Consultations were also held with experts from food processing industries, director of IICPT, and vice-chancellor, NIFTEM.
The FPEC was proposed to bring the two institutions at a common platform while a legislation is being prepared to make both institutes of national importance and council a statutory body, according to another official from the ministry.
Once the legislation is approved by Parliament, both the institutions will have full freedom to develop their own courses without seeking approval from anybody. Broadly this will be on the pattern of IITs, which has its own council deciding on the courses on the basis of the requirement by the industry.
