The Department of Science and Technology (DST) on Monday announced plans to fund 100 engineering colleges across India with ₹1 crore each to establish dedicated quantum technology teaching laboratories for undergraduate minor programmes. DST Secretary Prof Abhay Karandikar revealed the initiative while addressing a function at IIT Bombay, stating that the department has already received over 500 proposals and will finalise selections shortly. The move forms part of the broader National Quantum Mission (NQM) aimed at positioning India among global leaders in quantum computing, communication, and sensing technologies.

Karandikar also disclosed that DST will constitute a dedicated Quantum Algorithms Technical Group to drive capacity-building, support quantum-focused start-ups, and accelerate indigenous research and development. “We are going to set up teaching labs in hundred engineering colleges and institutions for teaching undergraduate minor programs,” he said, emphasising the need to create a talent pipeline early in the academic journey. The funding will enable institutions to procure specialized equipment, train faculty, and offer hands-on exposure to quantum principles for BTech students.

The announcement underscores the rapid progress of the ₹6,000-crore National Quantum Mission launched in 2023, with IIT Bombay continuing to play a pivotal leadership role alongside hubs at IISc Bangalore and other premier institutes. Karandikar praised IIT Bombay’s Technology Innovation Hub for supporting dozens of start-ups, developing cutting-edge technologies, and recently initiating work on Indian-language large language models under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems.

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By embedding quantum education at the undergraduate level, the government aims to produce thousands of skilled graduates annually, addressing the acute global shortage of quantum talent. Industry experts welcomed the step, noting that similar early-stage interventions in countries like the United States and China have given them significant leads in quantum commercialization. The selected colleges are expected to be announced within the next few months, with laboratories slated to become operational from the 2026 academic session.

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