Government News | Latest news on eGovernance, Digital India, Smart Cities | ET Government : ETGovernment.com
NEW DELHI, May 7, 2025: In a significant step toward strengthening India’s higher education and research ecosystem, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the expansion of academic and infrastructure capacity for five newly established Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) located in Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), Jammu (Jammu & Kashmir), Dharwad (Karnataka) and Palakkad (Kerala).The Phase-B construction plan entails a total outlay of ₹11,828.79 crore over a four-year period from 2025–26 to 2028–29, and will significantly enhance the capacity of these premier institutions to admit and train a larger number of students, while also boosting research and innovation.
Expansion Targets and Capacity Growth
The expansion will allow these five IITs to increase student intake by 6,576, raising the total capacity to 13,687 students across undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs, up from the current 7,111. The increase will occur in a phased manner over four years:
- Year 1: +1,364 students
- Year 2: +1,738 students
- Year 3: +1,767 students
- Year 4: +1,707 students
Additionally, the Cabinet has approved the creation of 130 new faculty posts at the level of Professor (Level 14 and above), to support the academic and research needs of the expanded student body.
Research Parks and Industry-Academia Linkage
A major highlight of the announcement is the establishment of five new state-of-the-art research parks—one at each IIT—which will serve as hubs for industry-academia collaboration, technology transfer, and startup incubation, supporting India’s goal of becoming a global innovation powerhouse.
Pan-India Benefits and Local Development
While the IITs are situated in specific states, admissions are conducted on a national basis, ensuring students from across the country benefit from the enhanced capacity. The expansion is also expected to spur local economic development, with increased demand for housing, transport, and services in the host districts.
The move will generate direct employment through the recruitment of faculty, administrative staff, and support personnel, while also fueling long-term job creation through innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry partnerships emerging from these IITs.
Fulfilling the Vision of Viksit Bharat
The decision aligns with the 2025–26 Union Budget announcement, which acknowledged the doubling of student strength across all 23 IITs over the last decade—from 65,000 in 2014 to 1.35 lakh in 2024—and committed to expanding infrastructure in the five IITs established after 2014.
This expansion reinforces the government’s vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, with world-class educational institutions playing a pivotal role in nation-building, skill development, innovation, and global competitiveness.
#Cabinet #approves #crore #expansion #plan #IITs #additional #students #benefit #Government