Cabinet approves Rs 11,829 crore expansion plan for 5 new IITs including IIT Jammu

New Delhi, May 7: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the second phase of expansion for five Indian Institutes of Technology (IITS) established after 2014. The move will strengthen academic and research capacity at IIT Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), IIT Palakkad (Kerala), IIT Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), IIT Jammu (J&K), and IIT Dharwad (Karnataka).

The expansion, with a total outlay of Rs 11,828.79 crore, will be implemented over four years from 2025-26 to 2028-29, and includes new academic blocks, hostels, research facilities, and cutting-edge infrastructure. Over 6,500 Additional Seats, 130 New Professors

As part of the initiative, the Cabinet also approved the creation of 130 faculty positions at the level of Professor (Pay Level 14 and above). Once completed, the combined student intake across the five IITs will more than double—from the current 7,111 to 13,687 students. Student capacity will grow incrementally each year—1,364 new students in the first year, followed by 1,738 in the second, 1,767 in the third, and 1,707 in the fourth year, spanning Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and PhD programmes. “This expansion aligns with India’s broader goals of fostering innovation, building a skilled workforce, and positioning itself as a global knowledge hub,” a senior official from the Ministry of Education said.

The plan also includes the development of five state-of-the-art research parks, aimed at promoting collaboration between academia and industry. These parks will serve as innovation hubs, accelerating technology transfer, fostering entrepreneurship, and supporting India’s startup ecosystem. The expansion is expected to generate direct employment opportunities through the hiring of faculty, researchers, and support staff. Indirectly, the construction and operational activities are projected to stimulate local economies by creating demand for housing, transport, retail, and services around the IIT campuses. Additionally, the growing number of IIT graduates is expected to fuel innovation-driven employment across sectors, further strengthening India’s digital and industrial growth. While the five IITs are located in different corners of the country, their admissions are conducted on a pan-India basis through the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). As such, students from all states and Union Territories stand to benefit from the enhanced capacity.

This move builds upon the momentum of the last decade. According to the 2025-26 Union Budget announcement, the total number of students in all 23 IITs has doubled in ten years—from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh. “With this expansion, more than 6,500 additional students will now have the opportunity to study in India’s most prestigious institutions,” the Ministry noted. “This is not just about seats, but about building a future-ready India.”