As the Centre and Punjab Government roll out initiatives to make Jalandhar a sports goods manufacturing hub and boost exports, Punjab’s only Government Institute of Leather and Footwear Technology (GILFT) in the city is fighting a battle of its own.The institute, tasked with providing skilled manpower for the leather, footwear and sports goods sector, has just two regular teachers, including the principal, against 19 sanctioned posts, while only 25 students are presently enrolled against 120 allotted seats.Located on the Nakodar road, the GILFT was set up in 1934. It offers three.year diploma courses in Leather Technology and Footwear Technology, with 54 and 66 sanctioned seats, respectively. However, only 25 students are currently enrolled, with officials attributing the declining admissions to the shortage of the teaching staff.Officials said the last regular teacher was appointed in 2020 and no fresh regular recruitment has taken place since then. Following retirements, the institute has been relying on an assistant librarian and a part time foreman (tanning) to conduct regular classes.In the absence of specialised teachers, practical training in the institute remains dependent on basic handmade tools and a few manual sewing machines, leaving it struggling to keep pace with an industry increasingly looking towards technology, modern production and global markets.The infrastructure is also in a poor condition. A visit on Wednesday found several parts of the building, particularly the administrative block, in need of repair.The challenges come as export opportunities for Jalandhar manufacturers are booming. Recently, India signed a trade deal with New Zealand after which tariffs on Indian sports goods, footwear and leather products have been brought down to zero. The India-European Union trade deal is another major opportunity.At the same time, the Centre and Punjab Government are working to strengthen the sector. In January, the GILFT signed an MoU with the Process and Product Development Centre (PPDC), Meerut, for a proposed Rs 10-crore Sports Technology Extension Centre at the institute.In June, Punjab signed a pact with the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) to proposed sports goods testing laboratory in Jalandhar to meet international certifications.Praveen Kumar, managing director of Raghu Exports, said, “Despite having a dedicated institute, we have to source specialised workforce from Kolkata. Even then, they do not stay here for long.”SPS Virk, a tannery owner, said, “The youth in Jalandhar needs employment and if we have a facility here, it should be properly utilised.”Aditya Sharma, project director of the sports lab planned at GILFT, said the facility was expected to be completed by March 2027.Ravinder Hundal, Additional Director, Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training, Punjab, said, ” We are amending the recruitment and service rules for special trades to streamline the process and address the staff shortage at the institute.”