– Dr. Annie Jacob Verghese, Director, KCG College of Technology

The approval of Semicon 2.0 is more than an industrial policy; it is a declaration of India’s ambition to become a global leader in semiconductor technology. While investments in fabrication plants and manufacturing facilities are essential, the real strength of this mission will lie in the nation’s ability to produce engineers who can build, operate and continuously innovate these technologies. Factories can be built in a few years, but developing world-class engineering talent takes sustained commitment.

This is where engineering colleges have a defining role to play. The semiconductor industry of tomorrow will demand engineers who understand far more than electronics. They must be comfortable working with artificial intelligence, robotics, embedded systems, industrial automation, advanced manufacturing, machine vision, cybersecurity and data-driven production systems. The boundaries between traditional engineering disciplines are disappearing, making interdisciplinary learning the new standard.

The challenge before higher education is therefore clear. Engineering colleges must move beyond conventional classroom teaching and become centres of innovation. Students should learn by designing products, solving industrial problems, building prototypes and working with technologies that are already transforming global manufacturing. The classroom of the future will be the laboratory, where theory meets real-world application.

To make this possible, institutions must invest in advanced laboratories equipped with semiconductor design software, embedded computing platforms, industrial robots, collaborative robots, machine vision systems, FPGA development kits, IoT platforms and intelligent automation technologies. These facilities are no longer optional—they are becoming the basic infrastructure required to prepare graduates for next-generation industries.

However, infrastructure alone will not create skilled professionals. Strong partnerships between industry and academia must become the foundation of engineering education. Semiconductor companies should work closely with universities through Centres of Excellence, sponsored laboratories, internships, live industrial projects, faculty immersion programmes and collaborative research. Such partnerships will ensure that students graduate with practical knowledge that matches industry expectations.

Faculty members will also determine the success of this transformation. Teachers must continuously upgrade their knowledge through industrial exposure, research collaborations and professional certification. An institution can produce globally competitive graduates only when its faculty remain connected to rapidly evolving technologies and industrial practices.

India’s semiconductor mission also presents a unique opportunity to strengthen research, innovation and entrepreneurship. Engineering campuses should encourage students to develop indigenous technologies, file patents, build start-ups and create solutions in semiconductor design, smart manufacturing, embedded intelligence and automation. Universities must become contributors to technological advancement rather than institutions that simply award degrees.

Perhaps the most significant change must be in the way engineering education measures success. A degree alone will no longer define employability. Graduates will be expected to demonstrate technical competence, practical skills, industry certifications, innovation capability, research experience and the ability to solve complex engineering problems. These qualities will distinguish future engineers in an increasingly competitive global market.

India has taken a bold step with Semicon 2.0. The next step belongs to its universities. If engineering institutions embrace innovation, strengthen industry collaboration, modernise laboratories and place skill development at the heart of education, they will create the workforce that can power India’s semiconductor revolution. The future of India’s semiconductor ecosystem will not be decided only inside fabrication plants—it will be shaped inside today’s engineering classrooms and laboratories.

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