Building the bridge from classrooms to cleanrooms: IIT Gandhinagar Director Prof Rajat Moona addresses the pre-launch interaction of the Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Research and Training Hub (SAMARTH), bringing Gujarat’s academic institutions together to shape courses, hands-on training, faculty development and research partnerships. — NE Photo
- ₹190-crore semiconductor hub brings Gujarat’s academic institutions into the design-to-manufacturing mission
- IITGN seeks partners for courses, hands-on training, faculty development and collaborative semiconductor research
- 1,200-sq-m cleanroom and nearly 40 process and characterisation tools to power practical learning and innovation
- SAMARTH targets 10,000+ students and technicians and 1,000+ industry professionals over five years
- Common curriculum, internships, train-the-trainer programmes and industry-linked research at the heart of the partnership model
NE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY BUREAU
GANDHINAGAR, AUG 11
India’s semiconductor ambitions will ultimately be measured not merely in fabs and fabrication capacity, but in how many skilled minds can design, process, test, characterise and take chips from laboratory benches to industry. With that talent challenge in focus, the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) is bringing Gujarat’s academic institutions into the blueprint of its ambitious semiconductor education and training ecosystem.
IITGN organised the Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Research and Training Hub (SAMARTH) pre-launch event on Saturday, August 8, 2026, bringing together representatives of universities and engineering institutions from across Gujarat to shape the Hub’s implementation framework and identify avenues for institutional collaboration.
The meeting was less about unveiling a finished blueprint and more about co-designing the talent pipeline — seeking inputs on semiconductor courses, practical training, faculty development, student exposure, internships, research collaboration and access to advanced facilities.
₹190 crore hub to turn semiconductor learning into hands-on experience
A ₹190-crore initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of Gujarat and IITGN, SAMARTH is being structured around four interconnected pillars: workforce development, awareness, research and industry engagement.
The proposed facility will feature 1,200 square metres of ISO 5 to ISO 8 cleanrooms and around 40 process and characterisation tools, giving learners access to an environment designed to bridge the gap between theoretical instruction and real-world semiconductor manufacturing.
IITGN’s existing capabilities in device and process design, modelling, IC design, prototyping and characterisation will further complement the Hub’s activities.
The ambition is equally significant on the human-capital front: over the next five years, SAMARTH aims to train more than 10,000 students and technicians and upskill over 1,000 industry professionals.
Its outreach will also begin much earlier in the education pipeline, introducing school and college students to semiconductor technology and career opportunities.
“Semiconductors are the backbone of modern technology”
Opening the interaction, Prof Rajat Moona, Director, IITGN, underlined the strategic importance of building talent alongside infrastructure.
“Semiconductors are the backbone of modern technology, from AI to mobility. As India and Gujarat build a globally competitive ecosystem, our success depends not only on fabrication but also on skilled talent, advanced research and strong industry partnerships. Aligned with the India Semiconductor Mission, SAMARTH will empower the next generation of innovators and build a strong manpower spanning across engineering, managers, working staff and the customer support necessary to make India a global leader in semiconductor technology.”
The Hub is accordingly being designed as more than a training centre. Its mandate encompasses education, applied research, technology development and industry engagement, with an emphasis on technologies that can progress from the laboratory towards industrial deployment.
Academia gets a seat at the chip-making table
Presenting SAMARTH’s plans, Prof Nihar Ranjan Mohapatra, Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, IITGN, outlined training pathways for engineering students, polytechnic and ITI students, working professionals and school students.
The proposed programmes will encompass coursework, practical training, internships, certificate programmes, faculty development and awareness activities.
The interaction gave partner institutions an opportunity to address practical implementation questions — including course duration and schedules, student eligibility, credit recognition, selection for practical training, faculty participation and access to facilities.
Institutions were also encouraged to identify their individual strengths so that their respective roles and contributions to SAMARTH could be mapped effectively.
Several institutions expressed interest in hosting short workshops, adopting SAMARTH modules, nominating students, participating in faculty training, undertaking joint research and conducting sensitisation programmes to expand semiconductor awareness among students and faculty.
“Partner institutions are central to SAMARTH’s planning. They understand their students, curriculum requirements and training gaps. The inputs received today will help us refine course delivery and better connect practical training at IITGN with prerequisite learning and co-guidance at partner institutions,” said Prof Mohapatra.
The proposed partnership framework will include train-the-trainer programmes, jointly developed course modules, student internships, joint supervision and collaborative research.
Partner institutions will also have access to SAMARTH’s nanofabrication facilities for research, device prototyping, manufacturing intelligence, indigenous equipment and software, and joint technology development projects.
The meeting concluded with a broad consensus around developing a common course curriculum as a starting point. IITGN will incorporate the suggestions received from participating institutions as it refines SAMARTH’s programmes ahead of its formal launch.
As SAMARTH moves towards operationalisation, its larger objective is clear: build the people, partnerships and practical capabilities needed to strengthen India’s semiconductor research and innovation ecosystem and advance the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The chip story begins with people
Fabs may manufacture chips, but people manufacture the future of an industry.
With SAMARTH, IIT Gandhinagar is attempting to build that human infrastructure — connecting classrooms with cleanrooms, academic curricula with industrial requirements, and young learners with one of the world’s most strategically important technology sectors.
For Gujarat, it could become a decisive step in turning its semiconductor ambitions into a sustainable talent-and-innovation ecosystem.
