India builds chip talent base through chips to start-up programme

Semiconductors form the backbone of the modern digital world, powering everything from mobile phones and laptops to cars, satellites and defence systems. A semiconductor is a special material, most commonly silicon, that can both conduct and block electricity. This controllable flow of electricity allows semiconductors to act as tiny switches, known as transistors, which process information in the form of zeros and ones. Millions or even billions of these transistors are packed onto a single chip, enabling computing, communication and automation across industries.

As global demand for electronics and artificial intelligence grows, semiconductors have become a strategic asset for nations. However, the world faces a major shortage of skilled chip designers, creating an opportunity for countries like India to emerge as key contributors to the global semiconductor ecosystem.

Against this backdrop, the Government of India is strengthening its domestic chip design capability through the Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme , implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Launched in 2022 with an outlay of ₹250 crore over five years, the programme aims to build a strong pipeline of industry-ready semiconductor professionals while promoting indigenous chip innovation.

Under the programme, more than one lakh individuals from nearly 400 organisations , including academic institutions and startups, have enrolled in chip design training, with around 67,000 already trained. Students are given hands-on exposure to industry-grade electronic design automation tools and real-world chip development workflows. Through the ChipIN Centre at C-DAC Bengaluru, student-designed chips are collected, verified and fabricated at the Semi-Conductor Laboratory in Mohali using shared wafer runs.

So far, six such wafer runs have resulted in 56 student-designed chips being successfully fabricated, packaged and delivered. Participating institutions have also filed over 75 patents and are developing more than 500 intellectual property cores, application-specific integrated circuits and system-on-chip designs for use in sectors such as defence, telecom, automotive and consumer electronics.

The C2S Programme also aims to incubate startups, enable technology transfers and integrate chip design education into mainstream engineering curricula. By democratising access to national semiconductor infrastructure and industry mentorship, the initiative is positioning India’s students, researchers and startups to play a meaningful role in the global semiconductor value chain.

With semiconductors increasingly central to economic growth and national security, the Chips to Start-up Programme marks a significant step in India’s journey towards technological self-reliance and global competitiveness in chip design.