It was in 1985, that we decided to take a step forward in the direction of Packaging Education. We are second in the world, besides USA, to start two years Post Graduate Diploma in Packaging. With the inputs of expert educationists under the chairmanship of Dr. D. V. Rege, then Director of University Department of Chemical Technology, Mumbai (now ICT) with Dr. V. Gupchup, then Principal of Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute, Mumbai (now Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute), Dr. Ravi Talwar; Mr. A. S. Athale; Dr. K. N. Kaul, Technical Director of M/s. Roche Products; Dr. R. Jayaraman, Vice-President of M/s. Britannia Industries Ltd. and others, the curriculum of two years full time Post Graduate Diploma in Packaging was developed.

Our 25^th Batch of the Post Graduate Diploma in Packaging received their diplomas at the landmark ‘Silver Jubilee Convocation’ during the last academic year.

Since packaging is an inter-disciplinary subject, the first semester includes exposure to subjects like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering.

Packaging technology is then introduced with detail and elaborate coverage on various packaging media, which includes paper and paperboard, glass, metals, plastics and composites. Similarly, laboratory practical training and visit to packaging converters and user industries are made part of the curriculum to expose students to the practical aspects of the subject.

In an organisation, since a packaging professional plays a vital role, management subjects such as Production Planning and Control, Total Quality Management, Industrial Engineering, Materials Management, Marketing and Financial Management are also covered.

The post graduate diploma course commenced in 1985 and the curriculum is regularly reviewed with addition of new subjects. Some of the subjects recently included are Eco-Regulation, Computer Aided Design & Mould Design and Communication Skills, which now form a part of the syllabus.

We have a separate computer laboratory for Post Graduate Diploma students equipped with necessary software for their training and use. Experienced and dedicated faculty trains the students in CAD.

We have been conducting a three months certificate course since 1968. The course is accredited by Asian Packaging Federation of which IIP is the founder member. The course is open to overseas participants as well.

Both these courses being full time, a need was felt to introduce a Distance Education Course especially for working people who cannot attend the full time programme. In 1996, we started the Distance Education Course for many aspirants who are working in the industry and could not attend our full time courses to improve their professional qualification.

We are in the 17^th year of Distance Education Programme, which is of 1½ years duration. This course is also accredited by Asian Packaging Federation and is open to participants from any country. We have been receiving overwhelming response for this course. For overseas students of this course, we conduct the examination in their city. Over the years, we have witnessed a significant growth in the number of students enrolling in this course. They come from various professional and educational backgrounds.

We started with student in-take of 20 for the 2-year Post Graduate Diploma in Packaging and today, our in-take is raised to 280. Appreciation of this course by the industry is seen in the responses we receive for the campus interviews, in which almost all of the students are placed within a few days. The value of our course is recognised through repeat visits of many corporate bodies and MNCs for campus placement.

All our students are respectfully placed with exciting job offers. Recently, overseas organisations have flown down and recruited our students.

The success story of these programmes is due to the efforts by the eminent faculty, who support the educational activities; from renowned educational institutions, the industry and many corporate bodies, through industrial visits and training of our students.

Packaging is one of the most dynamic fields and is sensitive to technical and commercial trends. Packaging trends need to be quickly identified, studied and exploited to survive in competition. Globalisation has brought consumers and producers closer than ever before. The role of packaging in modern methods of distribution through super markets and malls has, therefore, assumed great importance. Thus, the demand of this subject makes our job challenging; however, we always like challenges and endeavour to succeed.