Semiconductor education as the fulcrum to unleash India's potential in chip design, manufacturing

Semiconductors are the building blocks of modern electronics and information technology and are the core of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, big data and renewable energy.

Education plays a pivotal role in creating the human capital for the semiconductor industry.

India is likely to require about 250,000 skilled professionals in the semiconductor sector in the next three to four years as a conservative estimate, while the current supply is about 20,000 as per open-source reports. This means that India needs to train and educate a large chunk of semiconductor professionals in the coming years.

A software focus in the last three decades has been a success story. Software technology is rapidly evolving, involves myriad roles and possesses inherent flexibility with a larger geographical footprint.

Software apparently, accrues a better initial remuneration and scope of funding, since it may not be as capital intensive as compared to semiconductors. Hardware, as a discipline, is very specialized and requires a high threshold of expertise and training.

These issues are important to understand while we look at attracting the best talent with 1.5 million engineering graduates every year. While this mosaic is rapidly changing, transformation lies not only in infrastructure and technology, but also in human capital and orientation.

The orientation needs to look at three aspects in this domain - understanding available markets to define and conceptualize new products with “Product Centricity” as the focus, design them and then manufacture the same. Product centricity will require the most cutting-edge talent for the future, closely followed by manufacturing and then by design and testing prowess.

Semiconductor courses are specialized programs that impart theoretical and practical knowledge on various aspects of semiconductor technology, such as device physics, circuit design, fabrication processes, testing methods, and applications.

These courses need to be configured at different levels of education, such as diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees. They can also be delivered through various modes of learning, such as online, offline, blended, or hybrid. Semiconductor courses can provide multiple benefits for India’s semiconductor industry.

SemiX at IIT Bombay, with a well subscribed NanoFabrication facility has already commenced this endeavour since 2023. IISc Bengaluru is embarking on this journey as well. These courses, besides their periodicity, will create a pool of qualified and competent engineers who can design, develop, manufacture, and test semiconductor products in India.

They will foster future innovation and entrepreneurship in this domain as well, by an exposure to cutting-edge technologies and tools. This can enable India to create its own intellectual property (IP) and patents in the future. Indirectly, these courses have a latent power to enhance collaboration and cooperation among various stakeholders in the semiconductor ecosystem by creating a common platform for knowledge sharing and problem solving.

This can improve the efficiency and quality of semiconductor products and services. It is imperative to focus on developing and offering VLSI courses across educational institutions in all tiers of cities. Some private universities have already taken a lead in this which is laudable. This will not only help India meet its current and future demand for semiconductor professionals but also enable India to become a global talent powerhouse in the semiconductor industry.

A national curriculum framework for these courses that aligns with the international industry standards and requirements with designated timelines of review will therefore, be of immense importance.

Establishing partnerships with leading semiconductor companies and organizations for providing internships, mentorship and guidance for students pursuing these courses can be configured as well. Setting up centers of excellence and innovation hubs for semiconductor research and education in collaboration with academic institutions and industry is pivotal.

A planned R&D wing under Indian Semiconductor Research Center (ISRC), as featured in the media, will be a harbinger of great results in the future. Encouraging faculty development programs and faculty exchange programs for enhancing the quality of teaching for attracting more students from diverse backgrounds and regions to pursue courses in hardware need to be looked at by the industry and academia alike.

There could be an option of part funding by industry and the government for selected professionals for attaining fabrication facility floor experience, process management, supply chain management and many other disciplines in friendly foreign countries.

The government's vision, manifested through various enabling schemes and NEP 2020, can be leveraged for this effort. The acute shortage of skilled professionals in this field worldwide, necessitates the integration of these specialized courses into the fabric of our education system at all tiers of technician level, undergraduate level, post graduate level to begin with.

The various skilling verticals in myriad organizations need to review their courses in this domain with the level of skill being imparted and more importantly, their applicability for the future. Industry interface in all this is not only important but crucial.

Only through steps like institutionalizing semiconductor education, collaborating with industry leaders, offering financial incentives, and cultivating a culture of research and innovation, can India sculpt a semiconductor landscape that empowers it to ascend as a global frontrunner.

An intersection of education, industry, and innovation will define India's role in shaping the semiconductor-driven digital future.

(The author is Vice President, India Electronics and Semiconductors Association; Views are personal)