India’s growing education sector is fast emerging as one of the country’s most promising real estate opportunities, according to a recent report by ANAROCK. Titled The Academic Real Estate Supercycle, the study highlights how rising enrolments, policy reforms and demographic growth are driving unprecedented demand for education infrastructure across the country.
To meet the ambitious targets set under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, India will require massive expansion in academic infrastructure. The report estimates that nearly 2.7 billion square feet of additional built-up space will be needed, spanning approximately 30,000 acres of land. This expansion could translate into nearly USD 100 billion in construction-led investments over the coming years.
India’s higher education enrolment has grown significantly over the past decade, reflecting increased access to education and rising aspirations among the youth population. With the NEP aiming to substantially raise the gross enrolment ratio by 2035, demand for modern campuses, research facilities and integrated education hubs is expected to accelerate further.
Beyond traditional classroom spaces, opportunities are also emerging in student housing, faculty residences, skill development centers and integrated university townships. Developers and institutional investors are increasingly viewing education-linked real estate as a stable, long-term asset class backed by structural demand.
As India positions itself as a global education hub, the convergence of academic growth and real estate development is set to redefine the country’s institutional property landscape in the decade ahead.
