Centre Launches Project To Train Tribal Students In Semiconductor Technology

Semiconductors are an essential component of electronic devices, enabling advances in communications, computing, healthcare, military systems, transportation, clean energy, and countless other applications. The semiconductor fabrication facility at the Dholera, about 120km from Ahmedabad, will be set up by Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL) for semiconductor fabrication in India.

The Centre will train tribal students in semiconductor technology in collaboration with the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science and in partnership with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the tribal affairs ministry also plans to use satellite-based technology on a pilot basis to improve mobile and internet connectivity in remote tribal villages. The project is managed by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru. 

Why is it important to train? 

This training is part of a larger program aimed at improving education and opportunities for tribal communities, to empower tribal students with skills in this cutting-edge field, contributing to India’s growing semiconductor industry. The initiative aims to provide both degree programs and short-term training courses, with a focus on including tribal communities as per reservation policies. This effort is part of a broader strategy to enhance India’s capabilities in semiconductor technology while ensuring inclusive growth by empowering underrepresented communities.

Tribal Affairs Ministry collaboration with IISc to offer course

The ISM is an independent business division within the Digital India Corporation aiming to build a vibrant semiconductor and display ecosystem that enables India’s emergence as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design. The tribal affairs ministry, in partnership with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), will establish a training fab unit to offer a semiconductor technology course to tribal students. An official said, “2100 NSQF-certified level 6.0 and 6.5 training in semiconductor technology will be offered over three years.”

Program Overview 

As informed by IISC, Bengaluru, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has created 6 large Nano centres (including IISc) for delivering training in Semiconductor technology. The degree programs at these nano centres have representation from tribal communities, as per the reservation policies. Other than degree programs the nano centres also run short-term training programs under the Indian Nanoelectronics Users’ Programme or INUP program.

Job-oriented programme for 200 students

This will be an advanced job-oriented programme for 200 students with the potential of high-paying placements in the industry. IISc Director G Rangarajan said the country wants to become self-dependent and self-sufficient in the field of semiconductors, and the institute will provide the best possible training to tribal students. Launching the initiatives at an event here, Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda said the ministry wants to connect them with the PM-JANMAN scheme.

V-SAT connectivity will help the ministry handle education and healthcare-related activities

The PM-JANMAN, with a budget of around Rs 24,000 crore focuses on 11 critical interventions through nine ministries and is aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) by saturating PVTG households and habitations with basic facilities. “When we are moving forward for a Viksit Bharat, it is important that tribals are not left behind,” the minister said.

Many tribal villages face inadequate connectivity because of geographical remoteness and terrain difficulties, and the ministry, in partnership with ISRO, plans to use satellite-based technology on a pilot basis to improve the connectivity of such tribal villages.

“V-SAT stations were established to resolve connectivity issues (community internet, e-governance, societal development) in 80 villages in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha. The project will be extended to other states in the next phase,” an official said.

Currently, 113 academic institutions in the country are training nearly 85,000 industry-ready professionals at the B.Tech, M.Tech, and PhD levels in semiconductor chip design, with nine institutions located in the Northeast. Vaishnaw highlighted that the growth of the semiconductor industry will create numerous employment opportunities in both upstream and downstream sectors.