In a groundbreaking partnership, the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has teamed up with Q-CTRL, a global leader in quantum infrastructure software, to launch a statewide rollout of quantum education. This initiative aims to upskill millions of engineering students across Tamil Nadu and India in quantum computing, a critical technology expected to become a trillion-dollar sector over the next decade.
Through Q-CTRL’s award-winning workforce development platform, Black Opal, students will gain hands-on experience in quantum computing, bridging the quantum skills gap. Key players involved include Tmt J. Innocent Divya, Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation, and Aravind Ratnam, Chief Strategy Officer at Q-CTRL. This collaboration marks a significant step towards building a diverse and inclusive quantum workforce, with India poised to play a key role in the global quantum economy.
Quantum Education Partnership in Tamil Nadu, India
The Indian state of Tamil Nadu has partnered with Q-CTRL, a leading provider of quantum infrastructure software, to introduce mandatory quantum computing education for engineering students across the region. This first-of-its-kind statewide rollout aims to upskill millions of students in quantum computing, a critical technology expected to become a trillion-dollar sector over the next decade.
The partnership will utilize Q-CTRL’s award-winning workforce development platform, Black Opal, which provides interactive and visual online learning modules for students, software engineers, developers, and executives. The platform is designed to equip learners with the skills needed to join the quantum industry, regardless of their background or expertise. With browser extensions providing immediate language translation, Black Opal makes quantum education accessible to a diverse range of users.
Advancing Diversity and Accessibility in Quantum Education
This collaboration reflects the shared priority of advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the quantum technology ecosystem. Q-CTRL’s commitment to bringing accessible quantum education to Quad countries (Australia, India, Japan, and the US) is demonstrated through its existing educational partnerships, including an initial partnership with the Quad Investors Network (QUIN).
Black Opal Platform Features
The Black Opal platform offers a range of features that facilitate interactive learning, skill enhancement, and growth opportunities for students. These include:
- Interactive learning modules
- Open-world practice areas
- Shareable skill badges
- Completion certificates for learners
- Simulated hackathon activities to master theoretical and practical quantum computing skills
Instructors can tailor their students’ learning journeys using the Content Assignment feature, allowing for course customization, cohort management, and progress monitoring. This enables educators to align the curriculum with specific learning outcomes, create tailored assignments, and monitor student success through detailed analytics.
Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC)
The Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC) was established in 2013 by the Government of Tamil Nadu as the Nodal Agency for the State Skill Development Mission (SSDM). TNSDC is committed to advancing the skills of youth in alignment with the objectives of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, and National Skill Mission.
The corporation’s flagship program, “Naan Mudhalvan” (I am the best), launched in 2022, aims to skill over 10 lakh students annually by integrating advanced technology skills into the curricula of engineering, arts, and science colleges, polytechnics, etc. In the past two years, TNSDC has trained around 37.2 lakh students and more than 60,294 faculties across 2085 institutions in diverse skills and deep-tech courses.
Q-CTRL’s Commitment to Quantum Education
Q-CTRL, founded by Michael J. Biercuk in 2017, has pioneered the quantum infrastructure software segment and become a leading product-focused software company in the broader quantum sector. The company operates a globally leading quantum sensing division focused on software-level innovation for strategic capability.
With international headquarters in Sydney, Los Angeles, Berlin, and Oxford, Q-CTRL has been an inaugural member of the IBM Quantum Network startup program since 2018, and its performance management software now runs natively on IBM quantum computers.
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