Tamil Nadu Launches India’s First School of Semiconductor to Power Chip Talent Pipeline

In a landmark move to position itself at the forefront of India’s semiconductor revolution, Tamil Nadu has launched the country’s first-of-its-kind School of Semiconductor, aimed at building a robust talent pipeline and fostering innovation across the chipmaking ecosystem, reported several media outlets including The Hindu. 

The initiative, part of the state’s ambitious Semiconductor Mission 2030, was unveiled at the Central Polytechnic Campus in Chennai, where the new Centre for Advanced Semiconductor Technologies will serve as the hub for cutting-edge training, research, and industry collaboration.

A ₹100 Crore Commitment to Chip Talent

Backed by a ₹100 crore seed grant from the Tamil Nadu government, the school will house India’s first in-situ semiconductor fab processing facility, enabling hands-on training for roles ranging from fab technicians to process engineers and fab managers.

In its first phase, the program will train 2,000 students under the state’s Naan Mudhalvan scheme, with a broader goal of skilling 4,500 candidates through short-term modules spanning 2 to 6 weeks.

Strategic Partnerships and National Vision

The initiative is anchored by IIT Madras, with active collaboration from leading semiconductor corporates. The state is also exploring alignment with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to scale its impact nationally.

Training will span critical domains such as fabless chip design, equipment manufacturing, and startup incubation, with applications in electric vehicles, data centres, and space technology.

Aiming Global

Speaking at the launch, Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa emphasized the state’s global ambitions:

Our goal is to make Tamil Nadu the singular, indispensable source of semiconductor talent — nationally and globally. 

With this pioneering move, Tamil Nadu is not only addressing India’s semiconductor talent gap but also laying the foundation for a future-ready workforce capable of powering the next wave of technological innovation.