New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Government of India's initiative for prioritising talent development through Training, Up-skilling and Workforce Development Programs under Chips to Startups (C2S) initiative of India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, stated that India has made significant progress in last four years itself for its 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design.

Vaishnaw informed that world-class Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools being supported by Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, Renesas, Ansys and AMD have been made available in 315 academic institutions across the country.

A statement released by the Ministry of Electronics & IT noted, 'With the help of these tools, students are getting practical experience on designing semiconductor chips.'

These chips are being fabricated and tested at the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), Mohali, giving students hands-on experience across the entire process from Design to Fabrication, Packaging and Testing. This initiative has evolved into the world's largest open-access EDA programme, with over 1.85 crore hours of EDA tool usage recorded for chip design training so far, and continuing to grow.

Vaishnaw further highlighted that students from universities across the nation from Assam to Gujarat and Kashmir to Kanyakumari are actively participating in semiconductor design. Under Semicon 2.0, this program will be expanded from 315 universities to 500 universities, creating a strong base of skilled engineers across the country.

The minister also noted that as the global semiconductor industry reaches USD 2 trillion, nearly 2 million skilled professionals will be required providing unprecedented job opportunities for India's youth.

Several major educational institutions in the National Capital Region (NCR) are playing an important role in supporting India Semiconductor Mission. These institutions are providing training in semiconductor design, testing, and validation.

Key institutions from Delhi include Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, National Institute of Technology Delhi, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi, Delhi Technological University, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women, Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, and DV2JS Innovation LLP.

Using advanced EDA tools and training infrastructure, students at these institutions are designing real semiconductor chips, helping India build a strong talent base for its semiconductor ecosystem.

The Government of India, through Semicon 2.0, is committed to promoting semiconductor design, manufacturing, and innovation across the country, with the goal of establishing India as a global hub for semiconductor talent and manufacturing, the statement added. (ANI)