Govt to fund quantum labs in 100 engineering colleges with ₹1 crore each

The government is set to expand India’s quantum technology ecosystem by funding quantum teaching laboratories in 100 engineering colleges, each receiving ₹1 crore in support.

The announcement was made by Department of Science and Technology Secretary Professor Abhay Karandikar during a program at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay on Nov 24.

Karandikar said the initiative aims to strengthen undergraduate minor programs in quantum technology across the country.

He shared that over 500 proposals had already been submitted and only 100 institutions would be selected for funding.

He also noted strong progress under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems and the National Quantum Mission, with IIT Bombay contributing significantly to both.

He also highlighted work being carried out by IIT Bombay’s Technology Innovation Hub, including collaborations with start-ups, the development of new technologies, and research focused on Indian-language large language models.

According to him, all four hubs operating under the National Quantum Mission at IISc Bengaluru, IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, and IIT Bombay have shown impressive advancement, with the quantum sensing hub at IIT Bombay earning particular praise.

Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh, who visited IIT Bombay on the same day, announced the establishment of two major quantum fabrication and central facilities under the National Quantum Mission.

These will be set up at IIT Bombay and IISc Bengaluru with a combined investment of ₹720 crore. Two additional smaller facilities will be created at IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur.

Singh said the new infrastructure will help India reduce its dependence on foreign systems by enabling the domestic fabrication of quantum computing chips and quantum sensors, which will allow faster research and development cycles.

Singh also emphasized the need to enhance India’s cryogenics capabilities, explaining that liquid helium is essential for MRI systems, advanced materials research, and cryo-electron microscopy.

The new facility will include a helium recovery system expected to bring down the cost of cryogenic experiments to nearly one tenth of current levels.

He added that the new facilities will be open to academia, industry, MSMEs, start-ups, and strategic sectors, supporting prototyping, technology development, and small-scale production.

Singh said IIT Bombay’s efforts show the impact of strong partnerships between academia, government, and industry in advancing next-generation science and technology.