President Murmu to chair NIFT Combined Convocation 2026 on Monday
Synopsis
President Droupadi Murmu will preside over NIFT's Combined Convocation 2026 on Monday — a single ceremony uniting graduates from 18 campuses nationwide. With Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh also attending, the event signals the government's growing emphasis on design and fashion education as pillars of India's creative economy.
Key Takeaways
President Droupadi Murmu will attend the NIFT Combined Convocation 2026 as Chief Guest on Monday, 1 September 2026 , in New Delhi .
Graduating students from 18 NIFT campuses across India will be honoured at the combined ceremony.
Top-ranked students by CGPA in each programme will receive a gold medal .
Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh and members of the Board of Governors will also attend.
Campus-level degree distribution ceremonies will follow the national convocation.
NIFT , established in 1986 , now operates 20 campuses across India under the NIFT Act, 2006 .
President Droupadi Murmu will attend the NIFT Combined Convocation 2026 as Chief Guest on Monday, 1 September 2026, in New Delhi, presiding over a milestone ceremony that brings together graduating students from 18 campuses of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) across India. The event marks the formal conferment of degrees and the culmination of years of academic and creative endeavour at one of the country's premier fashion education institutions.
What the Ceremony Will Celebrate
The convocation is designed to honour not just academic achievement but the full arc of student contribution — creativity, dedication, and the ability to translate ideas into tangible outcomes. According to the Ministry of Textiles, the event will recognise outstanding students from each programme across campuses, with the highest CGPA holders in each programme receiving a gold medal.
Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh will also be present, alongside members of the Board of Governors, senior officials, faculty, and scholars. The gathering represents one of the largest single convocation events in India's fashion and design education calendar.
Campus-Wise Degree Distribution to Follow
The combined ceremony will be followed by individual campus-level degree distribution events, where graduates will formally receive their certificates and mark their transition from academic life into the professional world. This two-tier structure — a national convocation followed by local ceremonies — reflects NIFT's pan-India footprint and its effort to give each campus community its own moment of recognition.
NIFT's Role in India's Creative Economy
Established in 1986 under the Ministry of Textiles and governed by the NIFT Act, 2006, the institute has grown into a statutory authority with 20 professionally managed campuses nationwide. Over nearly four decades, NIFT has positioned itself at the intersection of traditional Indian arts and crafts, contemporary design innovation, and industry engagement — producing graduates who feed into both domestic fashion labels and global supply chains.
The institute's evolution mirrors India's broader ambition to build a globally competitive creative industry, with fashion education increasingly seen as a strategic lever alongside manufacturing and exports. This year's convocation, notably the first combined edition in recent memory to feature the President as Chief Guest, signals the government's intent to elevate the profile of design and textile education.
Looking Ahead
As this graduating cohort steps into a rapidly evolving industry shaped by sustainability mandates, digital retail, and renewed global interest in Indian textiles, their training at NIFT places them at a consequential intersection. The Ministry of Textiles has indicated that the occasion is as much a statement about India's creative future as it is a celebration of individual achievement.
Point of View
Elevating NIFT's convocation to a Rashtrapati Bhavan-level event reinforces that creative education is now policy priority, not an afterthought. What remains to be seen is whether this symbolic endorsement translates into structural investment: NIFT's 20 campuses still face faculty shortages and infrastructure gaps that no gold medal ceremony resolves. The real measure of the government's commitment will be in the next Union Budget's allocation to design and textile education — not in the guest list on convocation day.
NationPress
30 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NIFT Combined Convocation 2026?
The NIFT Combined Convocation 2026 is a national graduation ceremony bringing together students from 18 National Institute of Fashion Technology campuses across India to receive their degrees on Monday, 1 September 2026, in New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu will preside as Chief Guest.
Who will attend the NIFT Combined Convocation 2026?
President Droupadi Murmu will attend as Chief Guest, along with Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh, members of NIFT's Board of Governors, senior officials, faculty, and graduating students from 18 campuses.
What awards will be given at the NIFT convocation?
Outstanding students with the highest CGPA in each programme across campuses will be honoured with a gold medal at the ceremony.
What happens after the combined convocation?
Following the national ceremony, individual campus-level degree distribution events will be held, where graduates formally receive their certificates and mark their move from academic life into the professional world.
What is NIFT and when was it established?
The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is a statutory institute established in 1986 under the Ministry of Textiles and governed by the NIFT Act, 2006. It currently operates 20 campuses across India, focusing on fashion education, design innovation, and industry engagement.
