India’s Semiconductor Ecosystem Takes Shape With 28 Student-Designed Chips Delivered Through SCL Mohali

India’s semiconductor development mission marked a major milestone as the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) announced the successful fabrication and handover of 28 student-designed chips ((including 600 bare dies & 600 packaged chips) at the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) Mohali.

The chips were developed by students from 17 academic institutions under the Chips to Start-up (C2S) Programme and were handed over during Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s visit to SCL on 28 November.

The minister reviewed the ongoing modernisation of the laboratory and said India is emerging as a distinctive leader in the global semiconductor ecosystem.

He added that institutions across the country now have access to some of the world’s most advanced design technologies, creating a large-scale semiconductor development ecosystem that is unique to India.

According to the ministry, 122 chip designs from 46 institutions have been submitted in the past year as part of five multi-project wafer (MPW) shuttle runs coordinated by the ChipIN Centre at C-DAC Bengaluru.

Of these, SCL has already fabricated and delivered 56 chips.

The MPW model enables multiple designs to be produced on a single wafer, reducing cost and turnaround time for academic teams.

The ministry also reported extensive national usage of Electronic Design Automation tools, with over one lakh students logging more than 125 lakh hours in the last year.

Additionally, over 90 startups used around 50 lakh hours, taking total EDA usage supported by ChipIN to more than 175 lakh hours.

Vaishnaw said the progress reflects the Prime Minister’s vision to build semiconductor capabilities at a scale that allows India to become a major global player in the coming years.

He emphasised that India must achieve self-reliance in strategic sectors and reduce dependence on external suppliers, with SCL expected to play a crucial role in this strategy.

Also Read: India Semiconductor Mission: Major Rs 4,500 Crore Revamp Planned For Government-Owned Chipmaker SCL Mohali