IISc Semiconductor Training for Tribal Students Records 518% Growth, Reaches 648 Districts Across India

IISc Semiconductor Training Programme for Tribal Students Records 518% Growth in Applications, Reaches 648 Districts

The Semiconductor Training Program for Tribal Students, led by IISc Bengaluru's Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and MY Bharat under the Department of Youth Affairs, recorded a dramatic 518% surge in Phase-II 2026 applications — growing from 992 to 5,654 — and expanded its geographic reach from 411 to 648 districts across 34 states. The milestone was announced on May 26, 2026 as Phase-II implementation reached a critical scale milestone.

Women's Participation Surge

One of the most striking aspects of the Phase-II growth is the rise in women participation. Female applications grew by over 549% — from 268 to 1,741 — indicating rapidly expanding interest among tribal women in semiconductor technology and nanoengineering as career paths. This reflects the success of targeted outreach by MY Bharat field functionaries, District Youth Officers, and volunteer networks conducting awareness drives in tribal communities across the country.

Training Structure and Academic Reach

The programme includes online self-paced learning modules, expert IISc faculty lectures, and a 10-day residential training programme at IISc Bengaluru with fully funded travel, accommodation, and food. Selected candidates undergo online training and are assessed on lectures, study material, tests, and a project; top performers are invited for in-person hands-on semiconductor fabrication training. The initiative has engaged participants from 273+ institutions including IITs, NITs, universities, and colleges. Technical universities such as Chhattisgarh Swami Vivekanand Technical University (CSVTU) have partnered in expanding outreach to engineering and polytechnic institutions.

Building India's Chip Workforce Inclusively

Since inception, the programme has trained over 1,400 Scheduled Tribe participants, delivered 48,000+ hours of specialised semiconductor training, and awarded 1,000+ NSQF certifications. IISc has also trained 136 Tata Electronics graduate engineer trainees and collaborates with Lam Research on semiconductor workforce development. The initiative reflects a fundamental insight: India's semiconductor ambition cannot succeed without inclusive participation — the talent pipeline must draw from communities historically excluded from deep-tech careers.