India Backs Quantum Labs at 100 Engineering Colleges

India Backs Quantum Labs at 100 Engineering Colleges

Last Updated Nov - 25 - 2025, 05:10 PM | Source : Fela News | Visitors : 35

Government funds undergraduate quantum-lab setups across India to boost domestic research and start-ups.

The Indian government is turning the spotlight on quantum research in a significant way  by funding lab setups in 100 engineering colleges across the country. Under the umbrella of the National Quantum Mission, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) will provide Rs 1 crore each to selected colleges to establish teaching laboratories aimed at undergraduate minor programmes in quantum science. 

At the same time, two major “fabrication and central facilities” will be set up with a combined investment of  Rs 720 crore one at IIT Bombay and the other at Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru to enable home-grown fabrication of quantum chips and sensors. Additional smaller-scale facilities are slated for IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur. 

Why does this matter? India currently depends heavily on overseas facilities for manufacturing quantum devices. The plan therefore aims to change that by building domestic capability in cryogenic engineering, superconductivity, photonics, sensing, green-energy devices and quantum computing. And by equipping under-graduate engineering colleges with quantum teaching labs, the initiative attempts to cultivate both talent and research culture from an earlier stage.

The DST Secretary, Abhay Karandikar, stated that the team has already received more than 500 proposals from institutions seeking funding of which about 100 will be selected. In parallel, a quantum algorithms group will be created to support start-ups and build capacity in India’s quantum ecosystem. 

For students, this means exciting opportunities: access to labs in campus environments that were previously rare, exposure to cutting-edge research tools, and a shot at being part of the next wave of technology development. For institutions, it offers a chance to raise their research profile, partner with industry/start-ups and integrate quantum themes into curricula.

However, the success will hinge on effective execution: selecting the right institutions, ensuring meaningful lab infrastructure (not just hardware but staff training and research culture), and linking these labs to real-world applications so students aren’t just tinkering but innovating. If done well, this could mark a meaningful leap for India’s quantum journey.
 

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