New Delhi [India], May 7 (HBTV): The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the expansion of academic and infrastructure capacity at five new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) established in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Karnataka.

The institutions covered under this expansion plan are IIT Tirupati, IIT Palakkad, IIT Bhilai, IIT Jammu, and IIT Dharwad.

According to a Cabinet release, the total cost for these projects is estimated at INR 11,828.79 crore over a four-year period from 2025–26 to 2028–29. The plan includes the creation of 130 new faculty positions at the level of Professor (Level 14 and above) in these institutions.

Five new state-of-the-art research parks will also be set up to strengthen industry-academia collaboration and foster innovation.

The student intake at these IITs will be increased by more than 6,500 over the next four years. The planned yearly increase includes 1,364 students in the first year, 1,738 in the second year, 1,767 in the third year, and 1,707 in the fourth year across undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programmes.

Upon completion of the construction and expansion projects, the combined student capacity of these IITs will rise to 13,687 from the current 7,111 — an increase of 6,576 students.

The Cabinet noted that this expansion will help fulfil the aspirations of thousands more students seeking education in India’s most prestigious engineering institutions. It will contribute to nation-building by producing a highly skilled workforce, boosting innovation, and strengthening India’s global academic standing.

The expansion is also expected to generate direct employment through the recruitment of faculty, administrative staff, researchers, and support personnel. In addition, it will benefit local economies by increasing demand for housing, transportation, and other services in areas surrounding the IIT campuses.

The Cabinet release highlighted that while these five IITs are situated in specific states and Union Territories, admissions to IITs are conducted on a pan-India basis, ensuring that students from across the country benefit from the enhanced capacity.

The total student population across all 23 IITs has doubled over the past decade — from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh. The newly approved infrastructure will add capacity for an additional 6,500 students across the five IITs established after 2014.

(ANI)