Get ready for India’s education revolution. By 2035, expect 2.7 billion square feet of new academic space on 30,000 acres, fueled by up to $100 billion in funding. Student demand is propelling the nation toward becoming a top-tier global player in institutional real estate.
NEP 2020’s 50% GER ambition requires 25 million more seats, with campus construction pegged at $100 billion (excluding extras). ‘Demographics, rising intakes, global education trends, and reforms herald one of the largest build-outs in higher ed history,’ the report asserts.
Numbers paint a vivid picture: enrollments from 27 million (2010-11) to 45 million (2022-23). Universities from 760 (2015) to 1,338 (2025); total institutions from 51k to 70k.
Policy signals are strong—budget nods to five university townships. New FHEI norms let top-500 global unis plant direct roots. Three operational, 13 incoming: think UK’s Lancaster/Liverpool, US’s Illinois Tech, Italy’s Istituto Europeo di Design.
States lead the charge innovatively. UP slashes stamp duties, adds subsidies. Gujarat’s GIFT City readies shared international campuses. Maharashtra’s 250-acre Edu-City by Navi Mumbai airport boasts five foreign commitments.
This is more than expansion—it’s a strategic leap. India is crafting an ecosystem where local talent meets global excellence, investments flow, and education becomes a cornerstone of economic might.