Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Almost every student who clears IIT JEE or any engineering entrance gives preference to computer science stream, but they could have a starting salary three times (average starting salary 10 lakh per annum) more than a software developer (average starting salary is 3 lakh) if they chose to learn electronics and Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI). Sharing this in an exclusive interview, president of VLSI society of India, Dr Satya Gupta discussed how the road to Viksit Bharat goes through electronics and semiconductors.
"By 2047, electronics will be 4 trillion dollar industry in India and out of this, 700 billion dollars will be semiconductors," He said. This very big number will provide employment to at least 10 crore people in India. "10 crore people would be 7.5 per cent of total projected population and 15 per cent of working population in 2047," Dr Gupta said.
Hence, the contribution of semiconductor industry to India's GDP will be 15 per cent. "Such a large percentage will drive India's economy and furthermore, electronics and semiconductors improve all other technologies, which is the basic requirement of being a superpower in 2047," Dr Gupta said. So, the question is... Where do we stand, what are our challenges and how to take the route to Viksit Bharat through electronics and semiconductors?
Following is the explanation of the same from Dr Gupta as shared exclusively for our readers:
Where we stand?
Dr Gupta:
There are two aspects of semiconductors: Design and manufacturing. Manufacturing will take time to get going. However, we are already number 2 in the world in chip design. Most companies have design companies. Indian engineers are working on it. Now, we need manufacturing. We cannot just go with design.
What's needed to be the leader?
Our challenges Unlike the software industry, we have not raised awareness. So, most students don't opt for learning VLSI. Initially, we had limited the course on VLSI to post-graduation only. However, we need 1.2 lakh to 1.5 lakh in the next two years. Hence, from this year onwards, there are 350 colleges in India offering VLSI course at the undergrad level as well. Semiconductor jobs start from 10 lakh unlike software like 3 lakh, but students don't know about it.
The path to Viksit Bharat...
We have to run awareness programs about the semiconductors industry. Our target is the software industry that has done an incredible job of marketing. To boost the semiconductors course, VLSI has launched 4 chapters in India: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir; and Odisha.
MP is a major focus for us as we have a lot of students here. We would be conducting awareness programmes connecting high school students with semiconductor engineers. Further, we are signing MoUs with 13 colleges in MP to develop curriculum and learning for electronics & VLSI courses.
