SWABI: The Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology conducted a nationwide entrance test for the induction of trainees into the national-level Upskilling Training Programme (USTP) in chip design and verification, said a statement issued here on Wednesday.

The test was held simultaneously in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Abbottabad, Mianwali, Lahore, Multan, Swabi GIK Institute campus) and Karachi, ensuring broad accessibility for candidates from across the country.

GIK Institute is leading a consortium that has secured funding for this initiative, which forms part of the prime minister’s strategic Rs4.8 billion worth programme titled “Initiative to Nurture Semiconductor Professionals for Industry Research and Education (Inspire).” The Inspire programme is supported by the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication.

Officials described the initiative as a significant step towards strengthening Pakistan’s technical workforce, particularly in the semiconductor domain.

The programme aims to position the country as a competitive player in the global semiconductor industry by developing highly skilled professionals.

As part of this effort, GIK Institute is collaborating with several leading organisations including the National Electronics Complex of Pakistan (NECOP), the National Institute of Electronics (NIE), the Centre for Advanced Research in Engineering (CARE), Comsats University Abbottabad, among others.

Over the next 12 months, the programme will provide specialised, industry-oriented training to 280 selected participants in chip design and verification.

The initiative seeks to bridge the gap between academia and industry by equipping trainees with practical skills aligned with current market demands.

To ensure merit-based selection, a rigorous entrance test was conducted nationwide.

In addition to hosting the test at its campus, the GIK Institute team also coordinated and supervised test operations at all participating centres across the country.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2026