Bengaluru, 4 th November 2026: The Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery (IIJG) and the India Centre for Lab Grown Diamonds (InCent LGD) at IIT Madras have commenced the first batch of their Global Certificate in Lab Grown Diamond Technology, marking an important step towards developing specialised talent and strengthening India’s capabilities in the rapidly evolving lab-grown diamond (LGD) sector.
Powered by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), which is sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, the programme has commenced with 23 participants in its inaugural batch. Classes began on 21 October 2026, following a virtual inauguration held on 19 October 2026.
Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC, said, “As India’s lab-grown diamond industry continues to evolve, developing a skilled workforce with a strong understanding of the underlying technology is essential to its long-term growth. Through this initiative, GJEPC seeks to strengthen the industry’s talent ecosystem by bringing together academic expertise, scientific research and practical industry requirements. This is an important step towards creating opportunities for specialised learning and equipping professionals with the knowledge and technical capabilities needed to support India’s growing presence in the global lab-grown diamond sector.”
Designed as a comprehensive 90-hour programme, the certificate course brings together academic learning, scientific expertise and industry perspectives to provide participants with specialised knowledge of lab-grown diamond technology. The programme comprises 30 hours of live online sessions conducted by IIJG, 48 hours of teaching by InCent LGD at IIT Madras, and 12 hours of campus immersion at the IIT Madras Lab Grown Diamond Laboratory.
The programme draws on the expertise of a multidisciplinary faculty comprising academicians, researchers, scientists and industry experts from IIT Madras, along with leading institutions such as XLRI, the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), London Business School, IIM Ahmedabad, MDI Gurgaon and Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University.
Mr. Debasish Biswas, CEO, IIJG, said, “Our collaboration with InCent LGD at IIT Madras bridges the gap between scientific research, technological advancement and industry requirements in the rapidly evolving lab-grown diamond sector. We are committed to expanding this initiative through successive batches and building a sustained talent development ecosystem for India’s growing LGD industry.”
The initiative brings together IIJG’s industry-focused educational expertise and the research capabilities of InCent LGD at IIT Madras, with GJEPC’s support for the development of India’s gems and jewellery sector. By facilitating access to specialised education and technical knowledge, the programme aims to contribute to building a skilled talent pool equipped to respond to technological advancements and the evolving requirements of the lab-grown diamond industry.
The next batch of the Global Certificate in Lab Grown Diamond Technology is scheduled to commence in early January 2027, with the initiative expected to expand through successive batches and create further opportunities for specialised learning and talent development.
About The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)
The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), set up by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India (GoI) in 1966, is one of several Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) launched by the Indian Government, to boost the country’s export thrust, when India’s post-Independence economy began making forays in the international markets. Since 1998, the GJEPC has been granted autonomous status. The GJEPC is the apex body of the gems & jewellery industry and today represents 11000+ members in the sector. With headquarters in Mumbai, GJEPC has Regional Offices in New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Surat and Jaipur, all of which are major centres for the industry. It thus has a wide reach and is able to have a closer interaction with members to serve them in a direct and more meaningful manner. Over the past decades, GJEPC has emerged as one of the most active EPCs and has continuously strived to both expand its reach and depth in its promotional activities as well as widen and increase services to its members.
