In a significant breakthrough for India’s semiconductor ambitions—and a proud achievement for the Northeast—NIT Meghalaya has successfully fabricated two indigenous chips under the Government of India’s Chips to Startup (C2S) and SMDP programmes. The accomplishment positions the institute as one of the leading academic contributors to the country’s rapidly expanding semiconductor ecosystem.
Earlier this year, NIT Meghalaya made history by designing and fabricating the state’s first-ever indigenous digital integrated circuit. The achievement gained national recognition when the fabricated chip was presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the SEMICON India 2025 Summit. The moment showcased the vital role of academic research and innovation in advancing India’s quest for self-reliance in semiconductor technology.
The first chip drew widespread media attention for demonstrating Meghalaya’s early capability in digital logic and VLSI design. Building on this momentum, the institute has now received its second fabricated chip—a mixed-signal integrated circuit capable of processing both digital and analog signals. This advanced chip broadens the institute’s technical spectrum and reflects the growing sophistication of its research.
The second design includes a Finite State Machine (FSM) that categorises soil moisture levels into specific states. It also features an 8-bit Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC), which translates these states into analog output signals. Such a system can support agriculture and environmental monitoring, offering practical real-world applications. The fabrication was carried out at the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali under the C2S programme.
The innovation stemmed from extensive efforts by a dedicated team of faculty members—Dr. Prabir Saha, Dr. Shubhankar Majumdar, and Dr. Pradeep Kumar Rathore—supported by PhD scholars Geetima Kachari, Parishmita Goswami, and Deibaphira Suchiang. Their combined work has strengthened NIT Meghalaya’s position as a rising research hub in semiconductor design.
With two successful chip tape-outs achieved in rapid succession, NIT Meghalaya is steadily carving out its place as a key academic force in India’s mission to establish global leadership in semiconductor innovation, manufacturing, and technology development.