FDPs on cards as AICTE and DST take the quantum leap

Under the AICTE FDP scheme faculty will get to visit industries and get hands-on training at research labs

To train faculty, develop infrastructure for quantum technologies, and create appropriate study materials for students is on the map charted by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), following the launch of the Undergraduate (UG) Minor Programme in Quantum Technologies.

The regulatory bodies will ensure faculty members have a solid understanding of quantum mechanics and technologies. They will provide financial support to conduct the Faculty Development Programme (FDP) to institutions/individuals under the AICTE FDP scheme, which will facilitate faculty visits to industry/research labs for hands-on training. Meanwhile, the UG Minor course will be available starting from the 2025-26 Academic Year (AY), and students can opt for it from the fifth semester of the UG programme, that is, the third year onwards.

“The curriculum is designed to include practical projects encouraging students to collaborate directly with quantum startups. Students will have opportunities to work with startups through internships, fellowship programmes and project-based themes. AICTE will facilitate networking events, hackathons, and innovation challenges where students undergoing this course can solve the real-world problems presented by startups. Through partnerships with quantum startups supported under the National Quantum Mission (NQM), students can engage in research, co-develop solutions, and gain mentorship. Thematic Hubs established under NQM will also serve as platforms for student-startup collaboration,” says TG Sitharam, chairman, AICTE.

In the first phase, AICTE will designate the best 50 AICTE-approved institutions to run minor degree programmes and establish quantum labs.

“As per mutual collaboration with DST, the financial and technical support for creating quantum technology laboratories in the institutions will be provided by DST through their Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) established under NQM. AICTE will assist in mapping existing resources and facilitating the procurement of essential equipment through grants and funding programs. Institutions will also receive access to shared facilities in T-Hubs,” says Sitharam.

FDPs will be initiated to upskill educators in quantum technologies, ensuring they are equipped to teach theoretical and practical components. Hands-on training sessions, recorded lectures, conferences, workshops, and online certification programmes will be conducted so faculty members can stay updated on the latest developments and trends in quantum technologies. The development of related textbooks and course materials on quantum technology for faculty and students and the creation of infrastructure and resources for quantum labs in the institutions will be prioritised.

“The curriculum supports NQM’s objectives of creating a quantum-ready workforce and fostering a robust quantum research and innovation ecosystem. By nurturing talent at the UG level, the programme lays the groundwork for research and industry-ready professionals, aligning with NQM’s workforce development goals. Plans are underway to develop specialised PG programmes in quantum technologies, for which collaborations with leading research institutions and universities will be explored to design advanced coursework and interdisciplinary modules,” says Sitharam.

“India can succeed in quantum technologies only if we have trained manpower. The biggest bottleneck in implementing this initiative is determining who will teach the courses and where the teaching materials will come from. We must ensure that all these resources are readily available. The NQM team has agreed to train faculty, and the programme will commence soon. Elite institutions such as IISc Bangalore and IITs will also participate in this initiative. We are developing MOOCs on quantum mechanics and recording lectures to support the programme. Releasing the curriculum was the first step; it will be followed by faculty training and lab establishment. Universities and colleges offering this programme will connect with these labs through a hub-and-spoke model,” says Prof Rajive Kumar, member secretary, AICTE.

Kumar adds, “We are writing to the universities to adopt the programme or some courses. But in the initial phase, access to trained faculty could be a challenge.”

DST along with AICTE announces undergraduate courses for quantum

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) in collaboration with All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) announced a dedicated curriculum at the undergraduate level, to create a thriving quantum-trained ecosystem in India as part of the National Quantum Mission.

Professor Ajay K Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to Govt. of India said that the curriculum will integrate theoretical knowledge with hands-on lab experience, aiming to deepen graduates' understanding of quantum technologies through a minor program in the subject at undergraduate level. Highlighting the progress made in the National Quantum Mission, Prof. Sood emphasised the importance of this initiative to align with the goals of the Mission in order to create a quantum-ready workforce for the country’s technological advancement and global leadership.

The National Quantum Mission from the Government of India is a decisive step in accelerating the nation’s research and technology development in this field. Such research and technology development will require a highly skilled workforce through immediate initiatives in teaching and training.

The curriculum will help impart training for developing this workforce to enable them to reach global standards, and simultaneously address the multi-disciplinary needs of quantum technology development -- from basic to applied research.

Professor Abhay Karandikar, Secretary Department of Science and Technology said that the announcement of this curriculum marks a significant step in building a quantum-ready workforce. ‘It is designed for undergraduate students to establish a strong foundational and advanced knowledge base keeping in mind the diversity in the institutions, and will enable all engineering students irrespective of their disciplines to undertake UG minor in quantum technologies from their third or fourth semester.” he added.

“For the success of the program, training of teachers and basic lab infrastructure will also be required. National Quantum Mission will support creation of teaching labs in some select institutions and will work with AICTE for faculty development,” Prof. Karandikar pointed out.

Prof. Karandikar urged institutes to adopt the curriculum proactively and also students to recognize the importance of integrating quantum technologies into research, education, and innovation strategies.

Dr. Ajai Chowdhry Chairman MGB, NQM said that while this course will help in developing manpower in quantum technology in the country, internships should also be started in parallel to create more value for the students.

Professor T G Sitharam, Chairman All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) highlighted that this is a new beginning in quantum revolution to leverage the potential of quantum technology to create impact in society. “Our curriculum is ready and hopefully it will be included from next July session in all top institutions,” he added.

While institutes of national importance have begun programs to this end, expanding such training to a larger pool of institutes across the country can enable the nation to tap into the vast resource of students who can then participate in the mission to accelerate its progress towards its goals. The course would be taken up for implementation by AICTE approved institutions across the country.

The course structure includes all four verticals of Quantum Technology -- Quantum Computing, Quantum communications, Quantum sensing and metrology, Quantum materials and devices. The proposed curriculum constitutes a minimum of 18 credits with both theory and lab courses. Each course amounts to 3 credits (1 credit translating to 1 in-class contact hour per week for a theory course or 1 session of lab for 3 hours for a lab course), thereby making the minor program span a minimum of 6 courses.

Faculty Development Programs in the areas of Quantum Technologies are also proposed to be carried out to enable them to do justice to the goals of the minor program. Such sustained teacher training efforts will also enhance the quality of the training imparted to students over the years leading to long-term benefits and enable India to become a world leader in this field.

Apart from this course, National Quantum Mission in collaboration with AICTE is also planning to support creation of labs to aid teaching in the areas of quantum technologies, writing of books for the course and quantum awareness programmes.

Proposed structure of the program:

Minimum credits to fulfil – 18

• A 3.0.0 course has 3 theory lectures per week and considering an average length of 14 weeks for a semester,

• A 3:0 course amounts to at least 36 hours of lectures (considering holidays, exam days etc).

• A n:m lab course has n hours of lectures and m sessions (3 hours each) of lab per week.

Source: https://dst.gov.in/dst-along-aicte-announces-undergraduate-courses-quantum