Over the next five years, the centre aims to train nearly 10,000 individuals including 5,600 undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students, 1,500 technicians, 1,000 participants through certificate programmes, 230 faculty members and 230 industry professionals.
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As Gujarat rapidly emerges as India’s semiconductor manufacturing hub, the state is now turning its attention to building the talent pipeline needed to support the sector. A ₹190-crore semiconductor research and training centre, christened SAMARTH (Silicon and Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Research and Training Hub), will be established at IIT Gandhinagar to train engineering students, faculty members and industry professionals.The facility, being jointly funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Gujarat government’s Department of Science and Technology, and IIT Gandhinagar, aims to create a steady pool of “fab-ready” engineers as semiconductor manufacturing gathers pace in the country. The institute has already initiated the procurement of advanced equipment and the appointment of consultants for construction of the centre, which will focus on semiconductor research, workforce development and industry-oriented training.Over the next five years, the centre aims to train nearly 10,000 individuals across different categories, an official release from the Gujarat government said on Friday. This includes 5,600 undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students, 1,500 technicians, 1,000 participants through certificate programmes, 230 faculty members and 230 industry professionals. In addition, over 2,700 students are expected to participate in summer schools and short-duration exposure programmes, the release added.The facility will house advanced laboratories for nano-fabrication training, CMOS process technology, semiconductor device characterisation, process and device modelling, and integrated circuit (IC) design and prototyping. The training hub comes as Gujarat cements its position as the country’s preferred destination for semiconductor investments. The state has attracted several marquee projects under the Centre’s semiconductor programme, including Micron Technology’s assembly, testing, marking and packaging (ATMP) facility at Sanand. CG Semi, a joint venture between CG Power and Industrial Solutions and Japan’s Renesas Electronics, is setting up an outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) facility in Sanand, while Kaynes Technology India, in partnership with Alpha and Omega Semiconductor (AOS), is also establishing an OSAT unit in the state. In addition, Tata Electronics, in collaboration with Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC), is developing India’s first commercial semiconductor fabrication plant at Dholera.SAMARTH will provide advanced training to engineering students, professors and semiconductor industry professionals while also undertaking research in semiconductor manufacturing technologies. According to IIT Gandhinagar, the centre will collaborate with national and international institutions to create an integrated platform for research, training and innovation, with the objective of transforming students into fab-ready engineers and research into licensable intellectual property.To widen its reach, IIT Gandhinagar plans to sign memoranda of understanding with engineering colleges across Gujarat. Students from these institutions will be able to access specialised training programmes at nominal cost, while the centre will also conduct certificate courses, summer schools and awareness programmes for school and college students interested in semiconductor careers.Published on July 3, 2026
