At IIT-Delhi, Professor Awanish Pandey’s new semiconductor course has filled all 70 seats, attracting professionals from Intel and startup founders alike. This unprecedented demand mirrors India’s growing interest in building its own semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem—a vision propelled by the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).
Why the Buzz Around Semiconductors?
Launched in 2021, ISM is the government’s plan to make India a global semiconductor hub. Semiconductors power everything—from phones and laptops to satellites and AI. India already has a rich talent pool designing chips for firms like NVIDIA, but the push now is towards domestic fabrication—manufacturing the chips here in India.
Upskilling the Workforce
To meet this demand, top institutes like IITs, IISc Bengaluru, and others are rolling out new short-term and executive courses. These programs cover fundamentals, fabrication techniques, and equipment handling. IISc, for example, offers online theory modules, hands-on fab training, and one-month intensive courses. These are priced affordably, thanks to government subsidies.
IIT-Delhi’s Executive Programmes
IIT-Delhi’s six-month executive course costs Rs 1.47 lakh and draws participants from both global firms and Indian startups. Pandey notes the students are serious about applying their knowledge—many ask how to start their own ventures with modest capital.
Building Infrastructure and Opportunity
The upcoming Tata-PSMC fab in Gujarat is India’s first commercial chip factory, expected to create 20,000 jobs. IISc has already trained the plant’s first 130 engineers, now undergoing advanced training in Taiwan. Meanwhile, the government has invested over Rs 300 crore in CeNSE (Centre for Nano Science and Engineering) at IISc to build fab labs and run training programmes.
Bridge Courses for Immediate Impact
According to Professor Sushobhan Avasthi of IISc, India does not lack engineers—it needs bridge courses to make them fab-ready. Short-term upskilling is the key to meeting immediate job needs while the industry infrastructure scales up.
The Road Ahead
As India moves toward semiconductor self-reliance, these academic and government initiatives are laying the foundation for a skilled workforce—ready to fuel a $64 billion industry by 2026.
