M.Tech. in VLSI Design

Last Updated on July 29, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar

Hi readers! In this article, we will deal with an M.Tech. course. Here, we will have an in-depth analysis of M.Tech in VLSI Design course.

  This M.Tech. program is an ideal PG course for Engineering graduates hailing from relevant disciplines. As usual, this M.Tech. program is 2 years long.   Here is an overview of the course –

• Name of the course: M.Tech. in VLSI Design
• Type of course: Master of Technology
• Duration: 2 years
• Eligibility: Completed relevant B.E. or B.Tech. program
• Field: VLSI

After completing B.E. or B.Tech. course, Engineering graduates have two options available in front of them – look for a job or go for higher studies.   While talking about higher studies, they have access to various PG courses. Some such notable courses are – relevant M.Tech. programs, relevant PG Diploma programs, MBA, PGDM programs etc.   Graduates who are interested in acquiring advanced technical knowledge usually go for relevant M.Tech. or technical PG Diploma programs. M.Tech. is a very popular choice among Engineering graduates.   This particular M.Tech program – M.Tech in VLSI Design – is ideal for graduates hailing from branches like CS, IT, Electronics, Electrical, Telecommunication and Instrumentation Engineering.   What is VLSI Design all about? What’s the scope and potential associated with this field? You will find answers to these questions in the next section.

What is VLSI Design all about?

VLSI stands for Very Large Scale Integration. It is the process of creating an Integrated Circuit (IC) by combining transistors or other devices into a single chip.   ICs are used in different types of electronic devices. Your mobile phone consists of ICs. An IC is a circuit in which all or some of the circuit elements are inseparably associated and electrically interconnected so that it is considered to be indivisible for the purposes of construction and commerce.   Thanks to advancement in the field of semiconductors, ICs were developed. Before the introduction of VLSI, the capacity of an IC was very limited. It could only perform few tasks, for which it was primarily designed.   Before VLSI came along, IC size used to be much larger than what it is now! Thanks to VLSI, designers can now add millions of transistors and other components on a very small piece of chip.   An IC consists of various components such as –

• CPU
• ROM
• RAM

VLSI helps designers add these components on a chip in such a way that no compromise has to be made on fronts such as size, cost of production and performance. You may also check – PG Diploma in VLSI Design.

Course Details

Type of course

It is a Master’s Degree course.

Duration

The academic program is 2 years long. Each academic year is divided into two semesters. Thus, the entire program consists of four semesters.

Eligibility Criteria

Completed relevant B.Tech. program/M.Sc. program/Equivalent qualification.

Colleges

There are two types of Engineering Colleges offering this course in India –

• Government Engineering Colleges
• Self Financed Engineering Colleges

Government Colleges can further be classified into two types – State Govt Colleges and Central Govt Colleges. Government Colleges are known to charge lower fees than their Self Financed counterparts.   Some of the popular colleges are –

• IITs
• NITs
• Nirma University
• BITS

Admission Process

Reputed institutes rely on merit based admission process. Such institutes make use of relevant entrance test to select deserving candidates. Some institutes are also known to conduct their own qualifying test in order to select deserving candidates.

Fees

Tuition fees charged for the program may vary from one College to another. It depends upon the following factors –

• Type of College (Govt or SF)
• Rating and reputation of the College
• Scholarship status of the student

On an average, tuition fees could be anywhere between 80-150K INR per semester. Government Colleges are known to charge relatively lower fees that their Self Financed counterparts.

Syllabus

Here are some of the important subjects present in the curriculum –

• Digital Design
• Programming
• System Architecture
• Verilog HDL
• VHDL
• System Verilog

Career Prospects

After completing this course, one will have access to multiple job opportunities. Job opportunities include Government sector jobs, Private sector jobs as well as Self-Employment opportunities.

You may also check – GATE preparation

  VLSI Designers are usually hired by the firms involved in the following domains –

• Electricals
• Electronics
• Telecommunication
• Instrumentation
• Information Technology
• Computing
• Production Control
• Automation
• Consultancy

In the above mentioned firms, one may don roles such as –

• VLSI Designer
• Programmer
• Project Manager
• Consultant
• R&D professional

Salary

Starting salary depends upon different factors. Some such notable factors are –

• Job location
• Profile of the employer
• His/her academic performance
• His/her skills and aptitude
• Job profile

On an average, starting salary could be anywhere between 40-80K INR per month. In case of Government job, the salary will be based on designated pay scale and grade.