Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, has recently approved the setting up of the ‘NaMo Semiconductor Laboratory’ at IIT Bhubaneswar. The project will be funded under the MPLAD Scheme. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 4.95 crore.

The NaMo Semiconductor Lab will contribute to Bharat’s deep talent pool by equipping the youth with industry-ready skills. The lab will position IIT Bhubaneswar as a hub for semiconductor research and skilling. It will help in developing talent for the chip manufacturing and packaging units coming up across Bharat.

The new lab will further boost the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Design in India’ initiatives. It will act as a catalyst for the fast-growing semiconductor ecosystem of Bharat.

Bharat is home to 20% of global chip design talent. Students of 295 universities across the country are using the latest EDA tools provided by the industry. Twenty-eight student-designed chips from 20 institutes have been taped out at SCL Mohali.

 Why IIT Bhubaneswar

Odisha has recently received approval for two semiconductor projects under the India Semiconductor Mission. One of these is an integrated facility for Silicon Carbide (SiC)-based compound semiconductors. The second is an advanced 3D glass packaging facility.

IIT Bhubaneswar already hosts the Silicon Carbide Research and Innovation Centre (SiCRIC). The new lab will add to the institute’s existing cleanroom facilities. It will provide R&D facilities to support the semiconductor industry in India.

About the NaMo Semiconductor Lab

The proposed lab will have essential equipment and software required for semiconductor training, design, and fabrication. The estimated cost is INR 4.6 crore for equipment and INR 35 lakh for software.

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Dharmendra Tewari