India's Higher Education: $100 Billion Real Estate Opportunity with Asset-Light Strategy

• India's higher education sector is poised for a $100 billion real estate opportunity over the next decade, driven by an asset-light strategy.
• The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims for a 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2035, requiring 25 million additional seats and 2.7 billion sq ft of academic infrastructure.
• The capital burden is shifting from universities to real estate developers as new institutions adopt leasing models, creating demand for purpose-built academic real estate.
• Foreign universities, with 3 already operational and 13 more announced, are boosting institutional demand for academic spaces.
• State governments like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat (GIFT City), and Maharashtra (Educity) are actively supporting academic investments through policy and real estate strategies.