TN leads semiconductor workforce readiness with new IIT Madras centre

In line with its Semiconductor Mission 2030, Tamil Nadu collaborates with IIT Madras to establish a Centre for Advanced Semiconductor Technologies, with an initial Rs 100 cr investment

In alignment with the Tamil Nadu Semiconductor Mission 2030, the state government has initiated a pioneering project to establish a Centre for Advanced Semiconductor Technologies. This facility, powered by India's first in-situ semiconductor fab processing facility, is a collaboration between the Tamil Nadu government, IIT Madras, and leading corporate partners in the semiconductor industry. The goal is to ensure workforce readiness as the industry evolves in India.

 

The Government of Tamil Nadu will support this initiative with an initial seed grant of Rs 100 crore. The facility will include a small-scale production-grade fab to jump-start local capabilities, drive advanced research, and support continuous skilling, localisation of technology, prototyping, productisation, and incubation of startups. The initiative will also explore collaboration opportunities with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India.

 

“With this initiative, our focus is on developing human capital in this sector and building a globally competitive semiconductor workforce in Tamil Nadu. From fabless design to equipment manufacturing, from R&D to startups, and from technician training to advanced engineering, we are creating opportunities for every layer of talent,” said state industries minister TRB Rajaa. The Tamil Nadu Semiconductor Mission 2030’s efforts to develop the workforce will be anchored under the ‘School of Semiconductor’ initiative. The Centre is the first intervention under this initiative to address workforce readiness.

 

The proposed centre will be located at the Central Polytechnic Campus in Chennai. The centre plans to train over 4,500 candidates through specialised modules spanning two to six weeks. The facility will focus on translational research with practical applications in priority sectors such as electric vehicles, data centres, and space technology. 

 

The Tamil Nadu Semiconductor Mission 2030 was officially announced as part of the State Budget for 2025–2026, underscoring the government’s strategic vision to position Tamil Nadu as a national and global hub for semiconductor innovation and manufacturing. Under this mission, the state will focus on promoting fabless chip companies to design advanced semiconductor chips, supporting semiconductor equipment manufacturing, and investing in a highly skilled workforce to meet both national and global industry demands.

 

“Our vision is to make Tamil Nadu the singular, indispensable source of highly skilled talent required for the booming semiconductor industry across the nation and the world,” he added.

 

Tamil Nadu offers a robust ecosystem for semiconductor growth, anchored by its rich talent pool, the government said. The government aims to leverage and upskill this workforce to tackle the complex challenges of the semiconductor industry. These efforts are expected to create a range of high-paying technical roles, including process engineers, fab technicians, and fab maintenance professionals. Additionally, this initiative will propel the MSME sector in Tamil Nadu to upgrade its capabilities for more precision, clean room environments, and high-reliability manufacturing.