The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a major expansion plan to strengthen academic and infrastructure capacities of five Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) located in Andhra Pradesh (IIT Tirupati), Kerala (IIT Palakkad), Chhattisgarh (IIT Bhilai), Jammu & Kashmir (IIT Jammu), and Karnataka (IIT Dharwad). The plan, known as Phase-B construction, entails an investment of ₹11,828.79 crore over a period of four years from 2025-26 to 2028-29.
Along with infrastructure development, the Cabinet has sanctioned the creation of 130 new faculty posts at the level of Professor (Level 14 and above). The initiative also includes the establishment of five state-of-the-art research parks aimed at strengthening collaboration between industry and academia.
The approved expansion will significantly boost student intake across undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programs. Student strength in these institutions is set to increase by over 6,500 in the next four years, with a phased enhancement of 1,364 students in the first year, 1,738 in the second, 1,767 in the third, and 1,707 in the fourth year. Upon completion of the expansion, the five IITs will accommodate a total of 13,687 students, up from the current strength of 7,111—an increase of 6,576 students.
This move is expected to benefit thousands of aspiring students across the country, as admissions to IITs are conducted on a pan-India basis. It will contribute to nation-building by developing a highly skilled workforce, promoting innovation, reducing educational inequality, and improving India’s global standing in higher education and research.
The expansion is also anticipated to generate substantial employment. Apart from the hiring of faculty and administrative personnel, the larger campuses will create demand for local services, thereby stimulating regional economies. The increased number of IIT graduates and postgraduates will bolster innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation across various sectors.
These five IITs were established after 2014, with IIT Palakkad and IIT Tirupati beginning their academic sessions in 2015-16, followed by IIT Bhilai, IIT Jammu, and IIT Dharwad in 2016-17. Initially functioning from temporary campuses, all five IITs are now operational from their permanent locations.
