IIT Bombay: Industry to Teach Chip Design Skills

IIT Bombay is set to introduce a new Electronic Design Automation (EDA) program in the upcoming academic year. Recognizing academia's challenge in matching the chip sector's fast-evolving skill demands, the program will feature significant participation from industry executives in its initial phase. EDA tools are vital for the design, verification, and manufacturing processes within India's burgeoning chipmaking industry.

Professor Swaroop Ganguly of IIT Bombay noted that academic institutions currently lack sufficient professors skilled in EDA development. This industry-academia partnership emerged after an experiment revealed that unstructured hackathon-style evaluations correlated better with practical application skills than traditional exams, indicating a gap in current academic training methods.

Institutions like the Indian Institute of Science also face challenges, with Shankar K. Selvaraja observing that industry requirements can change drastically within months, making it difficult for academic systems to adapt. This dynamism is leading to a growing interest in certification programs over conventional degrees, though the industry's acceptance of such certifications remains a key question.

To address these evolving demands, Dinesh Mishra of KLA suggested a dual approach to curriculum design, incorporating both static and dynamic elements. Meanwhile, Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed ongoing discussions for India's first precision manufacturing institute and a multi-level talent development model.