AICTE, C-DAC to foster human resource development in high performance computing, allied areas

NEW DELHI: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has signed an agreement with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) to create an ecosystem for human resource development in high performance computing (HPC) and related fields. According to the official press release, this partnership aims to boost India's HPC capabilities, in line with the objectives of the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM).

The agreement was signed by T G Sitharam, Chairman of AICTE, and Asheet Nath (Retd), executive director of C-DAC Pune and corporate strategy, in the presence of S Krishnan, secretary of the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY).

T G Sitharam, AICTE Chairman, commented, “With the signing of this MoA between AICTE and C-DAC, we are taking a significant step towards creating a robust ecosystem for High Performance Computing (HPC) education in India. This collaboration is not just about training faculty and students; it's about empowering the next generation of technologists with the skills and knowledge they need to lead in the field of HPC. By integrating advanced HPC learning platforms and industry-aligned courses, we aim to foster innovation and meet the evolving needs of both academia and industry. This initiative aligns perfectly with the goals of the National Supercomputing Mission and the vision of NEP 2020, ensuring that our technical education system remains at the forefront of global advancements."

Objective of National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)

Developing HPC-aware manpower is a key objective of the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), a flagship initiative by the Government of India designed to enhance HPC capacity and capability nationwide. The NSM is implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST). AICTE, responsible for the coordinated development and quality improvement of technical education in India, has collaborated with C-DAC to promote HPC education across AICTE-affiliated colleges throughout the country.

AICTE, C-DAC Partnership Collaboration: Key initiatives

The following initiatives are being taken as part of the collaboration:

Faculty Development Programs (FDP):

Training 2,500 faculty members from around 1,000 engineering colleges through 50 FDPs.

These trained faculty members will subsequently instruct approximately 50,000 students in HPC-related subjects.

Awareness Programmes:

Organizing HPC awareness programs across 1,000 engineering colleges, engaging with 100,000 students to cultivate interest in HPC.

Installation of PARAM Shavak:

Deploying 50 units of PARAM Shavak, C-DAC's ‘Supercomputing Solution in a Box,’ in AICTE-affiliated institutions to offer students practical experience with supercomputing.

Key activities under AICTE, C-DAC partnership

Here are the primary activities to be undertaken as part of the partnership:

• Master trainer programmes:

  • Conducting training and refresher sessions to improve the teaching skills of master trainers in HPC and related technologies, who will then educate faculty members to teach HPC topics effectively.

• Quality improvement programmes:

  • Implementing specialized training programs to enhance the HPC knowledge of faculty members from non-computer science disciplines.

• Courses on SWAYAM:

  • Providing HPC courses on the Ministry of Education’s SWAYAM platform, offering free online courses to learners across the country.

• Industry-aligned courses:

  • Developing HPC courses tailored to meet the current and emerging demands of the HPC industry.

• C-DAC developed HPC learning platforms:
  

  • Making C-DAC’s HPC learning platforms, such as PARAM Shavak and PARAM Vidya, available to nominated institutes through AICTE.