The University Grant Commission requested all Vice-Chancellors and Principals of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to encourage all Faculty, Researchers, and Students to gain benefit from National Quantum Mission (NQM). The mission targets to develop intermediate-level quantum computers, enrich the QT economy, ecosystem, and India as leader of QT. Top academic and research Developments Institutions may get four Thematic hubs of QT.
A week ago, the Union Cabinet meeting in the presence of PM Shri Narendra Modi allocated a budget of Rs 6003.65 Crores for the National Quantum Mission (NQM). The mission was launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology in April 2023 and targets to seed, nurture and scale up scientific and Industrial Research Development programs, and struct an innovative ecosystem for Quantum Technology. & Applications. The mission has to develop Intermediate level quantum computers of 50-1000 qubits between 2023 and 2031 with an 8-year deadline.
UGC Secretary, Prof. Manish R Joshi, says – “This mission will help in developing the magnetometers with high sensitivity in atomic systems and Atomic clocks for precision timing, communication, and navigation.” India also can work on various platforms like superconducting and photonic technology. The country will be supported by the mission in “Satellite-based secure quantum communications between ground stations over a range of 2000 kilometers within India, intercity quantum communications with long distanced countries within 2000 kilometers,”– The UGC letter writes.
The UGC will set up four thematic Hubs of QT in top academic and National Research and Development Institutes. The four themes include- Quantum Computing, Quantum Communication, Quantum Sensing & Metrology, and Quantum Materials & Devices.
What is Quantum Technology? Quantum is a branch of Physics that studies the behavior of matter and energy at the smallest possible atomic and subatomic level. Quantum Technology is an emerging field of science and engineering that studies the properties of quantum mechanics. It has various domains like – Quantum computing, sensors, cryptography, simulation, measurement, imaging, etc.
