New Delhi, Oct 30 — India will require nearly 1-1.5 billion square feet of additional private education infrastructure by FY2035, creating significant opportunities for real estate developers and institutional investors, a report said on Friday.
The demand is driven by India’s large youth cohort, rising enrolments, increasing private-sector participation and growing demand for quality education, the report from CBRE South Asia said.
Nearly 0.9 billion square feet of incremental demand would come from private unaided K-12 schools, while private unaided higher education institutions would account for around 0.4 billion square feet.
The report further highlighted institutional investor interest in scalable premium K–12 platforms, particularly in affluent urban markets.
“Investors are also evaluating structured operating company–property company models, which separate real estate ownership from academic operations. Such arrangements can provide developers and property owners with lease or revenue-sharing income opportunities while supporting the expansion of education infrastructure,” it noted.
“As private education providers expand their presence across markets, scalable infrastructure and operating models can support long-term growth. Partnerships between developers and established education operators could play an important role in meeting this demand,” said Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and CEO, India, South-East Asia, Middle East and Africa, CBRE.
India’s education infrastructure landscape is also diversifying geographically. Established metropolitan markets continue to anchor organised private schooling and higher education, while select tier-II cities are attracting investor interest as institutions evaluate expansion into regional markets.
“Established education hubs and emerging cities with strong student populations offer opportunities for expansion, but project viability will depend on location, infrastructure suitability and partnerships with credible education operators,” said Rami Kaushal, Managing Director, Consulting and Valuation Services, India, Middle East and Africa, CBRE.