India's Semiconductor Talent Development Roadmap

Semiconductor Talent Development in India: Key Highlights

1. Government Initiatives:

• The Indian government has adopted a multi-faceted roadmap under the "Semicon India" program (recently termed "Semicon 2.0") to strengthen the semiconductor talent supply chain in design, manufacturing, and advanced packaging.
• A significant objective is to create a capable workforce to support the entire semiconductor value chain, including Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging (ATMP).

2. Skill Development Programs:

• Over 100,000 engineers have been trained through various semiconductor talent development initiatives.
• Approximately 68,000 individuals have been skilled in chip design, resulting in 175 chip designs created to date.
• The "Chips to Startup" (C2S) program has been launched to provide free access to cutting-edge chip design tools, utilized for over 24 million hours.

3. Educational Integration:

• The government aims to integrate semiconductor education into engineering institutions and colleges.
• The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has initiated new curricula for undergraduate, diploma, and short degree courses in the semiconductor sector.

4. Infrastructure Development:

• A SMART laboratory at NIIT Calicut aims to train 100,000 engineers in VLSI, embedded systems, and IoT.
• A project to establish a semiconductor assembly and ESD training lab in Guwahati has been approved to support semiconductor manufacturing in the Northeast.

5. Partnerships and Collaborations:

• Collaborations with industry stakeholders aim to enhance skill development in semiconductor technology.
• The FutureSkills Prime program, implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and IT in partnership with NASSCOM, offers online courses for skill development in emerging technologies.

6. International Collaborations:

• The India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) has signed MOUs with several international universities, including Purdue University and Arizona State University, to bolster workforce development and joint research in semiconductors and microelectronics.

7. Financial Allocation:

• The central cabinet approved ₹1.275 lakh crore for the Semicon 2.0 program on July 15, 2026, focusing on R&D of advanced technologies and talent development in design and manufacturing.

8. Targeted Outcomes:

• The goal is to prepare 60,000 trained personnel over the next decade in ATMP and advanced packaging through partnerships with industry leaders like Lam Research.
• A structured certification program will be developed in collaboration with ISM to train approximately 5,000 professionals in the semiconductor workforce.

9. Additional Resources:

• A state-wise list of organizations supported under the C2S program is available, promoting local engagement in semiconductor education and training.

Conclusion

The Indian government's comprehensive approach to developing a skilled workforce in the semiconductor sector is aimed at meeting both national and global semiconductor demands, ensuring a robust ecosystem for technological advancement and innovation.