Colleges & Faculty

ABOUT THE INSTITUTION

Verghese Kurien Institute of Dairy and Food Technology (VKIDFT), Mannuthy, Thrissur earlier the College of Dairy Science and Technology (CDST), has been instrumental in contributing quality manpower to the dairy and allied industries in India and abroad for the last Thirty two years. VKIDFT offers two B.Tech programmes — B.Tech (Dairy Technology) and B.Tech (Food Technology) along with Postgraduate (M.Tech) and Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) Programmes. The Faculty of Dairy Science has four constituent colleges offering B.Tech (Dairy Technology).

B.Tech (Dairy Technology), a four-year graduate professional programme and the first of its kind in the state, was started in 1993 at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences under Kerala Agricultural University (KAU). It was later upgraded to the status of a college in 1998. With the establishment of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) in 2010, the college was further elevated to the status of an independent Faculty. The college celebrated its silver jubilee in its own building as the Verghese Kurien Institute of Dairy and Food Technology (VKIDFT) in 2018.

The Verghese Kurien Institute of Dairy and Food Technology has produced more than 1000 dairy professionals who are well placed in challenging positions in the dairy industry, research institutes, academia, government departments and allied sectors. The academic activities of VKIDFT are carried out through twelve departments, namely Dairy Technology, Dairy Engineering, Dairy Microbiology, Dairy Chemistry, Dairy Business Management, Dairy Husbandry, Dairy Extension, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Food Quality Assurance, Food Business Management, and Food Plant Operations, focusing on food and milk production, processing, and marketing.

The course curricula for B.Tech (Dairy Technology) and B.Tech (Food Technology) are designed as unique job-oriented degree programmes that ensure the overall development of graduates and enable them to face diverse professional challenges in their respective fields. The programmes are aligned with the principles of the National Education Policy (NEP), emphasizing skill development, industry relevance, and multidisciplinary learning. Students are also enriched with entrepreneurial skills to establish their own industries. In addition, through industrial in-plant training, graduates gain exposure to professionally managed industries, including production management, raw material procurement, personnel management, sales, and marketing.

Research and Extension Activities

VKIDFT is actively engaged in applied research addressing real-world challenges in dairy processing, quality improvement and value-added foods. Research activities encompass studies on improving the shelf life of milk products, dairy by-product utilization, development of value-added traditional products, functional foods and nutraceuticals, as well as the technological, microbiological and chemical aspects of milk and dairy products, including milk authentication methods and detection of adulteration in dairy foods, which represent important research areas in ensuring quality assurance in the dairy sector.

Extension and outreach form an integral component of the institute’s mandate, with field-oriented and hands-on programmes designed for stakeholders beyond academia, particularly entrepreneurs and extension officers, focusing on formulation, processing and packaging for market readiness. VKIDFT also has practical extension activities such as hands-on training, field extension programmes, value-added product workshops, and technology transfer initiatives for dairy farmers and small-scale processors. The institute also functions as a platform for national seminars, faculty development programmes and professional conventions that promote interaction between industry and researchers, thereby strengthening technology dissemination and professional networking within the dairy sector.

VKIDFT also maintains collaborative engagements, including skill development programmes for small-scale dairy farmers, contributing to capacity building and improved rural livelihood opportunities in dairy-based enterprises. Student participation in community service and capacity-building initiatives such as the National Service Scheme (NSS) unit promotes social responsibility and dissemination of best practices in dairying and rural development. The institute also emphasizes the holistic development of students through programmes focusing on personality development, yoga and physical education. Overall, VKIDFT’s research, extension and student development ecosystem supports improvements in dairy product quality, sustainable dairy practices, and the development of skilled and socially responsible professionals in the dairy sector.

DEAN’S OFFICE

Dr. A K Beena, PhD
Dean (i/c)

Professor and Head, Dairy Microbiology

Verghese Kurien Institute of Dairy and Food Technology, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala

Contact @ 91- 9446293686, E-mail: deancdstmty@kvasu.ac.in
 

ADMISSION
Candidates admitted to the B.Tech (Dairy Technology and Food Technology) programmes are selected through the Common Engineering Entrance Examination conducted by the Government of Kerala. Candidates who have passed the Higher Secondary Examination of Kerala, or an examination recognized as equivalent thereto, with 50% marks in Mathematics separately and 50% marks in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry taken together, are eligible for admission. The college also admits students under the ICAR quota for the undergraduate programme.

The admission to M.Tech and Ph.D. programmes is conducted based on the ranks secured in ICAR AIEEA entrance examination. The total number of seats in each discipline is fixed as approved by the Academic council. In the M.Tech programme for each discipline, one seat is earmarked for the Residency programme.

EDUCATION

B. Tech - Dairy Technology

The course curriculum for B.Tech (Dairy Technology) is prepared in line with the pattern specified by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (I.C.A.R.), New Delhi, as a unique job-oriented degree programme. The total duration of the course is eight semesters, with the last semester set apart for in-plant training and farm training. The total credits are apportioned among the disciplines of Dairy Technology, Dairy Engineering, Dairy Chemistry, Dairy Microbiology, Dairy Business Management, Dairy Extension, and Dairy Husbandry, with due weightage given to each.

Students are exposed to the entire operations of the KVASU Dairy Plant and also undergo internships in other professionally managed co-operative and private dairy processing plants (Milma, Amul, Schreiber Dynamix, and Mother Dairy, etc.), which help them acquire the required skills and confidence to work as highly motivated professionals. They are also enriched with entrepreneurial qualities to start their own industrial units. For this purpose, they must successfully complete a ‘Hands-on-training’ and the “Students READY Programme” during the seventh semester. Field-extension training organized in association with the Department of Dairy Development, Government of Kerala, and internship programmes organized in dairy farms are also integral parts of the course.

B. Tech - Food Technology

The four-year B.Tech (Food Technology) programme offered at Verghese Kurien Institute of Dairy and Food Technology (VKIDFT), Mannuthy, is designed as a comprehensive, industry-oriented degree programme in line with the guidelines of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The programme extends over eight semesters, integrating strong theoretical foundations with extensive practical and industrial exposure. The curriculum encompasses core disciplines such as Food Technology, Food Engineering, Food Plant Operations, Food Quality Assurance, and Food Business Management, with appropriate credit distribution to ensure balanced academic and professional competence.

Students receive hands-on training in pilot plants and laboratories and are exposed to modern food processing operations, quality control techniques, and product development practices. The final phase of the programme includes in-plant training, industrial internships, and learning components that enable students to gain real-time exposure in reputed food processing industries and allied sectors. In addition, students undergo skill-oriented training programmes such as the Students READY Programme to foster entrepreneurship, innovation, and managerial capabilities. Field visits, study tour (Industrial visit), industry interactions, and project work further enhance professional confidence and prepare graduates for careers in food industries, quality assurance laboratories, research institutions, regulatory bodies, and entrepreneurial ventures in the food sector.

Postgraduate (M.Tech) Programmes

VKIDFT offers two-year M.Tech programmes in the disciplines of Dairy Technology, Dairy Microbiology and Dairy Chemistry. These postgraduate programmes are structured to provide advanced technical expertise and research-oriented training in specialised areas of Dairy science and technology, with emphasis on product development, quality assurance, food safety, process optimisation and analytical techniques. The curriculum aligns with the ICAR that includes advanced coursework, laboratory training, dairy plant exposure, seminar presentations and a research thesis, enabling students to develop scientific, analytical and problem-solving skills relevant to the dairy and food sector.

The programmes are designed to prepare graduates for careers in dairy and food processing industries, quality control laboratories, research and development organisations, regulatory agencies and academic institutions. Eligibility for admission requires a Bachelor’s degree in Dairy Science and Technology / Dairy Technology with the minimum academic standards prescribed by the University regulations for postgraduate admission. After securing the postgraduate degree, graduates have wide-ranging career opportunities in both the government and private sectors, including positions in product development, food safety management, consultancy, entrepreneurship and higher research leading to doctoral studies

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) Programmes

VKIDFT offers Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) programmes in the disciplines, Dairy Technology, Dairy Microbiology and Dairy Chemistry  aligning with the ICAR.These research degrees are aimed at developing advanced expertise and research competence in dairy and food science fields. The duration of the Ph.D. programme is typically three years, as per the academic regulations of KVASU.

Eligibility for Ph.D. admission generally requires a Masters Degree in the respective/related subject recognized by the University, with a minimum OGPA as per University regulations. The programme emphasizes independent research, thesis work, and contribution to scientific knowledge in areas such as product development, food safety and quality, microbial sciences, and advanced dairy processing technology.

Accreditations and Ranking

The technical programmes offered by the Verghese Kurien Institute of Dairy and Food Technology, Mannuthy are approved by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and has Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) accreditation. Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU), to which the institute is affiliated, is a state university recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and is included in national-level higher education frameworks such as the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), reflecting its established presence in the higher education landscape. In terms of institutional performance, VKIDFT was featured in the Kerala Institutional Ranking Framework of the Kerala State Higher Education Council. In the 2025 rankings, the institute secured the 23rd position among engineering colleges in Kerala and ranked 5th among Government engineering colleges in the state.

 AICTE Approval 2025-26

 AICTE Approval 2024-25

 AICTE Approval 2023-24

 AICTE Approval 2022-23

AICTE Approval 2021-22

AICTE Approval 2020-21

1. Chairman anti ragging committee (View Order)

Dr. A K Beena
Dean (i/c)
VKIDFT, Mannuthy
Ph: 9446293686
Mail: deancdstmty@kvasu.ac.in

2. Officer in charge of anti ragging squad (View Order)

DR. Jose Mathew
Assistant professor
Department of Physical Education,
VKIDFT, Mannuthy
Ph: 9448743373

Address for Communication
 
Verghese Kurien Institute of Dairy and Food Technology , Mannuthy
Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University
Mannuthy P.O., Thrissur 680 651
Phone: 91 – 487 – 2372861
Fax No: 91 – 487 – 2372855
Email: deancdstmty@kvasu.ac.in
Website: www.kvasu.ac.in