The call for a dedicated Bengal skill university for the gems and jewellery industry has placed artisan training, apprenticeships and manufacturing capacity at the centre of a sector-wide discussion in Kolkata. The proposal was made at the 7th ICC Gems and Jewellery Summit 2026, where industry representatives also highlighted falling jewellery volumes, export ambitions and the need to preserve traditional craftsmanship.
West Bengal Minister for Higher Education, Technical Education, Training and Skill Development Jagannath Chattopadhyay urged the gems and jewellery industry to establish a skill university in the state. He said the government was prepared to provide the necessary cooperation and institutional support for the initiative.
The minister also called on the industry to work with government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to run apprenticeship, internship and training programmes. The proposal links the state’s formal skill-development network with a sector that depends heavily on specialised craftsmanship, manufacturing knowledge and changing consumer requirements.
The summit was organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata on Wednesday. Discussions covered the industry’s growth, India’s prospects in global markets, rising gold prices, changing consumer preferences and the preservation of traditional jewellery-making skills.
Vinod Bamlwa, chairman of the ICC National Expert Committee on Jewellery and Lifestyle, said India’s gems and jewellery sector was undergoing rapid change. He said the country’s gems and jewellery exports stood at $27.72 billion in the financial year 2025-26. According to him, the industry could move towards export targets of $75 billion by 2030 and $100 billion by 2040.
Subhankar Sen, ICC co-chairman and managing director and chief executive officer of Senco Gold Limited, said high gold prices had resulted in a 15-17 per cent decline in jewellery volumes over the past two years. He said consumers were shifting towards lighter and lower-carat jewellery. Sen also stressed the need to protect Bengal’s traditional artisans and their craft.
The proposed university would add to existing state-supported training institutions, although the summit did not announce a location, investment amount, governing structure or implementation timeline. The minister’s statement established government support in principle, while the industry’s role in setting up and operating such an institution remains to be defined.
Other speakers raised issues linked to the sector’s financial and trading infrastructure. Surendra Mehta, national secretary of the India Bullion and Jewellers Association, advocated the inclusion of refined gold produced domestically in exchange-traded funds. Ashok Gautam, managing director and chief executive officer of the India International Bullion Exchange, said the exchange planned to start its own vault at Kolkata’s Manikcam Special Economic Zone by Diwali.
Prakash Chandra Pincha, eastern region co-convener of the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, and Sachin Jain, regional chief executive officer for India at the World Gold Council, also emphasised Indian craftsmanship, domestic gold, manufacturing and export capacity. The next steps for the proposed skill university are expected to depend on coordination between the state government, industry bodies and existing ITIs.
