Leather Technology   Salient Features of the Course 1. Programme Title Diploma course in Leather Technology. 2. Entry Qualification Matriculation and as per norms laid down by the AICTE/ State Board of Technical Education (10+)                        3. Course Duration  3 years 4. Type of course     Full time      5. Pattern of Course Semester system (Each semester is of 16 weeks and each week has 36 to 40 hours of contact for academic work)  6. Intake of Students   15 students      India is famous for its leather industries and is a major producer of processed leather and leather goods. The industry is largely privately owned and has an estimated turnover of almost Rs.70 billion annually. The lucrative earnings through exports have made this a growth sector industry today. Leather is prepared in tanneries from animal hide and skin. Hides of animals such as cows, buffalo, goats, pigs, horses are processed for preparing leather to be used for the manufacture of a variety of leather products. After pre-treatment or curing, which involves removal of unwanted flesh and hair from the skin and curing with salt, the skin is made ready for tanning. Tanning agents cement together the protein fibres in the skin, giving leather its unique flexibility and hard wearing qualities.   Functions ·         To identify and handle  raw hides/skins, chemicals and other raw materials. ·         To test and quality control of raw materials in the tannery. ·         To supervise  different operations/ processes involved in manufacturing of leather used for different end uses. ·         Physical, chemical and bacteriological testing/examination of leather at different stages of tanning. ·         To test and quality control of leather at different stages of tanning. ·         Identification of defects and their rectification in finished leather. ·         To use Finishing techniques being used by the leather industry. ·         Measurement, marking, packaging and handling of finished leather. ·         To Supervise effluent treatment plant and waste minimization/utilization. ·         Maintenance and operation of different machinery used at different stages of leather manufacturing. ·         Operation and supervision of processes involved in leather goods and footwear manufacturing. ·         Procurement, installation and operation of various computerised/machining processes. ·         Marketing, management and costing.   Main Subjects :Three Year Diploma Curricula  ·         Leather Manufacture  ·         Organic Chemistry  ·         Microscopy & Microbiology  ·         Basic Engineering ·         Analytical Chemistry ·         Tannery Effluents and Wastes ·         Leather Analysis ·         Footwear Manufacturing ·         Estimating & Costing ·         Leather Trade Engineering  ·         Industrial Management & Entrepreneurship Dev.  ·         Leather Goods Mfg.   Further Education ·         B.Tech/M.Tech in Leather Technology ·         Two-year postgraduate diploma course in Leather Garment Design and Technology from The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).   Employment Opportunities  ·         India is one of the leading producers of leather and leather goods. Its leather Industry has witnessed a steady growth in exports over the years. The industry till recently exported only raw material like hides and skins but today it is major exporter of finished goods like shoes, garments and accessories etc. Government of India has also identified the industry as one of the priority industries and introduced several schemes to promote exports. ·         As leather technologists in leather manufacturing/processing industries/ organisations/prestigious leather firms/ export houses / government organizations. ·         The industry is mainly concentrated in and around Agra, Kanpur, Calcutta and Chennai. There are three main areas of work in the industry, namely manufacturing i.e. processing raw leather to finished leather, designing and marketing.