Tribal Students Gain Semiconductor Skills Through IISc Bengaluru Training Program

On August 6, 2025, the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Shri Durgadas Uikey, informed the Rajya Sabha that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has partnered with the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, to implement the “Semiconductor Fabrication & Characterization Training for Students from Tribal Community” project. Initiated in the financial year 2023-24 under the Central Sector Scheme: Tribal Research Information, Education, Communication and Events (TRI-ECE), the program aims to train 2100 tribal students over three years in NSQF-certified level 6.0 and 6.5 semiconductor technology courses.

The initiative includes a 60-hour foundational course with online lectures and assignments for 1500 students and a 90-hour advanced course with offline lectures, assignments, and hands-on training at IISc Bengaluru for 600 students. Faculty from tribal communities can also participate to develop new courses and research at their institutions. The program targets improving the employability of tribal youth in India’s semiconductor industry.

Eligibility is open to all tribal students, including those from Jharkhand, with an engineering degree. As of now, 105 students from Jharkhand have completed training, with 100 in the foundational program and 5 in the advanced program.

IISc Bengaluru is...