New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on May 7, 2025, approved the expansion of academic and infrastructure capacity (Phase-B construction) of five new IITs established in Andhra Pradesh (IIT Tirupati), Kerala (IIT Palakkad), Chhattisgarh (IIT Bhilai), Jammu & Kashmir (IIT Jammu), and Karnataka (IIT Dharwad). The total cost is Rs.11,828.79 crore over four years from 2025-26 to 2028-29.
The Cabinet also approved the creation of 130 faculty posts (at the level of Professor, Level 14 & above) in these IITs. Five new state-of-the-art research parks will be established to strengthen industry-academia linkages.
Student strength in these IITs will increase by more than 6,500 over the next four years, with an additional 1,364 students in the first year, 1,738 in the second, 1,767 in the third, and 1,707 in the fourth across Undergraduate (UG), Postgraduate (PG), and PhD programs.
Upon completion, these five IITs will accommodate 13,687 students, up from the current 7,111, an increase of 6,576 students. This expansion will enable over 6,500 additional students to study at these prestigious institutions, fostering nation-building through a skilled workforce, innovation, and economic growth. It will enhance social mobility, reduce educational inequality, and strengthen India’s global position.
Direct employment will be generated through hiring faculty, administrative staff, researchers, and support personnel. The campus expansions will stimulate local economies by increasing demand for housing, transportation, and services. Graduates and postgraduates will further drive innovation and startup ecosystems, contributing to employment across sectors.
These five IITs are located in Andhra Pradesh (IIT Tirupati), Kerala (IIT Palakkad), Chhattisgarh (IIT Bhilai), Jammu & Kashmir (IIT Jammu), and Karnataka (IIT Dharwad). However, admissions to IITs are on a pan-India basis, benefiting all states and Union Territories.
The 2025-26 Budget announced that the total number of students in 23 IITs has doubled from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh over the past decade. Additional infrastructure in these five IITs, established after 2014, will facilitate education for 6,500 more students.
These IITs were established in Andhra Pradesh (IIT Tirupati), Kerala (IIT Palakkad), Chhattisgarh (IIT Bhilai), Jammu & Kashmir (IIT Jammu), and Karnataka (IIT Dharwad). Academic sessions at IITs Palakkad and Tirupati began in 2015-16, and the remaining three in 2016-17, initially from temporary campuses. All are now functioning from their permanent campuses.
BI Bureau
