INDIA, like many other countries, has embarked on a national, large-scale, long-term effort to manufacture semiconductor chips. The financial outlays for the semiconductor industry is a testimony to India’s commitment to build a robust semiconductor ecosystem. At the global semiconductor supply chain meet in September 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his commitment to the country’s semiconductor mission, stating, “Whether it is mobile manufacturing, electronics, or semiconductors, our focus is clear – we want to build a world that doesn’t stop or pause in times of crisis but keeps moving forward.”
The Prime Minster announced an allocation of a special research fund of Rs 1 trillion through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation to foster innovation in cutting-edge semiconductor technology. At the policy level, the National Policy on Electronics-2019 seeks to ensure the growth of the electronics system design and manufacturing sector. NPE-2019 is aligned with the broader initiatives associated with ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’, strengthening India’s position in the global electronics market. However, at present, the country lacks a roadmap to develop the necessary workforce for semiconductor manufacturing.
India needs to mobilise technically qualified personnel in large numbers and provide them with competitive remuneration to succeed in its efforts to become a trusted partner in the global semiconductor supply chain. The workforce availability must align with the proposed plants’ implementation schedules and locations. It will need to be provisioned with residential infrastructure, since many planned manufacturing sites are greenfield and far from existing manufacturing centres. It’s a novel, complex, large-scale, and ambitious project. Without methodical efforts, India’s ambitions to develop the workforce is unlikely to be fulfilled.
As the country aspires to become a global leader in chip manufacturing, the demand for skilled technicians, engineers, and specialists will increase exponentially. Vocational training provides a practical, efficient pathway for individuals to enter and excel in this dynamic industry. By investing in vocational education, India can build a robust, industry-ready workforce that meets the growing needs of the semiconductor sector.
Higher education will play a key role in workforce development, especially the skilled workforce needed to drive India’s economic and technological growth. The National Education Policy (NEP), together with education policies being developed by many states, can provide a framework for this. The NEP 2020 and subsequent state-level interventions provide a strategic framework for aligning education programmes with workforce development.
It highlights the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, focusing on interdisciplinary learning and research. Workforce development for chip manufacturing requires a roadmap. The source of the workforce is likely to be selectively global, significantly national, and primarily regional, from the state in which the plant is located as well as neighbouring states. A majority of the workforce is likely to come from public higher education institutions.
The Government at the Centre, and the governments in the state in which the plants are located and in neighbouring states, must cooperate and collaborate to mobilise the workforce. A clear, concise, and comprehensive framework is required to negotiate the pathways to meet the challenge. This framework can be used to manage the workforce development locally, nationally, and globally. The adoption of a common framework will help formalise and transfer knowledge, feedback, and learnings from implementation within a state, across states, and across countries.
