The University Grants Commission (UGC) is pushing for higher educational institutions (HEIs) in India to raise awareness among their faculty, researchers, and students about the benefits of the National Quantum Mission (NQM). The scheme seeks to boost scientific and industrial research in quantum technology, develop new innovations, and create a suitable ecosystem. The UGC Secretary, Manish R Joshi, wrote a circular to universities and colleges, explaining that the Union Cabinet agreed to a total cost of INR 6,003.65 crore for the project, which will run from 2023-24 to 2030-31.
Quantum technology has a wide range of applications, including secure communication, disaster management, computing, simulation, chemistry, healthcare, cryptography, and imaging. The initiative is expected to accelerate the growth of quantum technology and make India one of the leading nations in the development of quantum technologies and applications (QTA). One of the major components of the NQM will be the establishment of four thematic hubs focused on Quantum Computing, Quantum Communication, Quantum Sensing and Metrology, and Quantum Materials Devices.
The NQM is expected to help improve magnetometers with high sensitivity in atomic systems, atomic clocks for precision timing, communication, and navigation, and the design and synthesis of quantum materials such as superconductors, novel semiconductor structures, and topological materials for the fabrication of quantum devices. Satellite-based secure quantum communications between ground stations over a range of 2,000 kilometers within India, long-distance secure communications with other countries, inter-city quantum key distribution over 2,000 kilometers, and multi-node quantum networks with quantum memories are some of the mission’s deliverables.
Therefore, the UGC is urging HEIs to inform their faculty, researchers, and students about the NQM so that they can make the most of this mission. The mission is intended to accelerate quantum technology led economic growth, nurture the Indian ecosystem, and make India one of the leading nations in QTA research.
HEIs are an essential target for NQM since they are the most significant source of high-quality research talent in the country. They also offer a wealth of scientific knowledge and resources that can be leveraged to achieve the mission’s objectives. Consequently, the UGC Secretary is asking that universities and colleges disseminate information about the NQM to their faculty, researchers, and students to ensure they acquire the most benefit from it.
