NS-04-VS-CDA : Chip Design Associate (O-Level ‘Chip Design’)
Course Preamble
The “Chip Design Associate” course is crafted to provide students with a strong foundation in VLSI Design and Digital System Development, preparing them for careers in semiconductor and embedded system domains. Beginning with fundamental concepts in electronics and digital design, the course guides learners through the principles of logic design and hardware description languages, with a strong emphasis on Verilog. Students will gain hands-on experience in using industry-standard tools such as Xilinx Vivado for simulation and implementation of digital systems on FPGAs. The curriculum includes structured lab sessions to help students develop, simulate, and synthesize digital modules, progressing from basic combinational circuits to complex state machines and SoC design. In addition, learners will be introduced to ASIC design flow and the nuances of RTL coding for ASIC prototyping. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with both theoretical insights and practical skills needed to contribute to modern chip design workflows, making them job-ready for roles in FPGA development, ASIC verification, and embedded hardware design.
Course Objective
The objective of the “Chip Design Associate” course is to equip students with practical skills and foundational knowledge in digital electronics and chip-level hardware design. The course begins with an introduction to basic electronics and CMOS fundamentals, enabling students to identify and understand core digital components. Learners will gain proficiency in operating digital instruments and simulation tools, and in assembling and testing digital circuits. A significant portion of the course focuses on Verilog HDL, where students will learn to model and simulate digital logic using industry-standard design practices. They will work on logic synthesis, timing analysis, and design verification, culminating in FPGA implementation using tools like Xilinx Vivado. Through structured lab exercises and a final project, students will conceptualize, design, and implement digital systems, ranging from basic logic blocks to finite state machines and SoC prototypes. By the end of the course, students will be capable of contributing to VLSI design workflows and FPGA-based hardware development, preparing them for entry-level roles in the semiconductor industry.
Course Outcome
By the end of the “Chip Design Associate” course, students will possess advanced proficiency in digital electronics and chip-level design methodologies. They will be adept at analyzing and designing digital circuits, understanding CMOS logic fundamentals, and applying this knowledge to real-world design challenges. Students will demonstrate expertise in Verilog HDL for modeling, simulating, and verifying combinational and sequential logic systems, and will be capable of developing synthesizable RTL code for FPGA-based implementation. They will be skilled in using industry-standard tools like Xilinx Vivado for design simulation, synthesis, and hardware deployment. Through hands-on lab sessions and project work, learners will design and implement digital systems such as ALUs, finite state machines, and custom logic blocks on FPGA platforms. They will also gain exposure to the ASIC design flow and basic verification techniques. Upon completion, students will be fully prepared for entry-level roles in VLSI and semiconductor industries as FPGA developers, front-end design engineers, or digital hardware developers.
Course Structure
| Sl. No | Module Title | Duration (Hours) | Credit | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theory | Lab | Total | |||
| 1 | NOS1: VLSI Fundamentals | 25 | 35 | 60 | 2 |
| 2 | NOS2: Verilog RTL coding for Synthesis | 25 | 35 | 60 | 2 |
| 3 | NOS3: Static Timing Analysis of VLSI Circuits | 25 | 35 | 60 | 2 |
| 4 | NOS4: FPGA Architecture and Programming | 25 | 35 | 60 | 2 |
| 5 | Sub total (A) | 100 | 140 | 240 | 08 |
| 6 | Employability Skills (B) | 60 | 2 | ||
| 7 | NOS6: OJT/Project* (C) | 150 | 5 | ||
| Total Duration/Credit | 450 | 15 | |||
Courses Fees:
1. Course Fees:
General Candidates: Course fee is ₹. 21,200/- (Including NSQF Registration and Exam Fees as applicable)
SC/ST Candidates: Tuition Fees are waived for SC/ST students admitted under SCSP/TSP. However they are required to remit an amount of ₹. 2000/- towards NSQF registration and examination fee at the time of joining. This amount will be considered as security deposit and will be refunded after successful completion of the course on first attempt. If the student fails to complete the course successfully, this amount will be forfeited.
It is mandatory that students attending NSQF aligned courses have to appear for NIELIT NSQF examination conducted by NIELIT Headquarter, New Delhi on fee payable basis. Successful candidates will be issued certificates by NIELIT HQ. If the student fails to clear the exam, participation certificates will be issued by NIELIT Calicut on passing the exam conducted by NIELIT Calicut. Module wise Course Fee: Not Applicable for this course
2. Registration Fee:
An amount of ₹.1000/- (nonrefundable) should be paid at the time of registering for the course. This fee shall be considered as part of course fee, if the student joins the course. If the student does not join for the registered course / any of the registered courses, fee paid shall be forfeited.
SC/ST Candidates: Registration fee is Rs.500/- (nonrefundable) This fee shall be considered as part of NSQF Registration and exam fees, if the student joins the course. If the student does not join for the registered course / any of the registered courses, fee paid shall be forfeited.
However above the registration fee shall be refunded on few special cases as given below:
➢ Course postponed and new date is not convenient for the student
➢ Course canceled in advance, well before the admission date
3. Course Fee Structure:
| Fees | Amount for General Candidates | Amount for SC/ST Candidates (considered as caution/security deposit) |
|---|---|---|
| Registration Fee | ₹ 1000/- | ₹ 500/- |
| Course Fee | ₹ 20,200/- | Nil |
| NSQF Registration & Exams Fee | Included in the Course fee | ₹ 2000/- (Refundable on successful completion of course on first attempt) |
| Total Fee | ₹ 21,200/- |
Advance fee - After publication of the first selection list, the students in the first selection list have to pay the Advance Deposit within the due date to take the provisional admission. Students in the additional selection list should pay both the Advance and course fees together on or before counseling day. The registration fee will be added to the caution deposit/course fee if the candidate takes provisional admission.
Course Fees
Course fee: Rs.21,200 + all taxes as applicable
SC/ST Candidates : Free
Registration Fee: Rs. 1,000/-(non-refundable, adjusted if student joins)
Payment Verification & Registration Information
General & OBC - Candidates / Online Courses for all: After completion of the fee payment, please submit the form available under Apply Now. Our team will review and verify your payment details. Once the verification is successfully completed, we will contact you with further guidance to complete the remaining steps of the registration process.For any queries or assistance, please feel free to contact or message the course coordinator.
SC / ST – Offline Courses: SC/ST offline courses are free of charge. Instead of uploading a payment acknowledgement, please upload your Government-issued Caste Certificate during form submission.
Eligibility
Any one of the following:
1. Completed 2nd Year of 3 Years Diploma in Electronics and Communication Engineering/ Electrical Engineering/CS/IT and allied branches after class 10th with 1.5 years experience.
2. Acquired NSQF Level 3.5 in Electronics and Communication Engineering/ Electrical Engineering/CS/IT and allied branches.
3. Acquired NSQF Level 3 in Electronics and Communication Engineering/ Electrical Engineering/CS/IT and allied branches with 3 years’ experience.
4. Completed 12th or equivalent in Science with Physics and Maths
Important Dates
Next update dates
| Month | Starting Date of Registration | Last Date of Registration | Welcome Mail Sending Date(Befor 6PM) | Course Starting Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan,2026 | 11-Nov-2025 | 18-Jan-2026 | 19-Jan-2026 | 21-Jan-2026 |
Contact
For further information if any, you may Contact the Course Coordinator : Archana Yadav, Chandrakala M , Mob: 7985175136,6302223578
Archana Yadav, Chandrakala M
Mob: 7985175136,6302223578







