Business Standard - Student housing faces supply gap as private developers shy away
India’s student housing is grappling to keep up with demand, even as organised private developers stay away from the segment citing weak project economics, high land cost and regulatory uncertainty.
Industry estimates show that only 7.5 million on-campus beds were available in the country against over 43.3 million students enrolled in higher education during 2021-22. This highlights a significant accommodation gap.
That gap, say industry watchers, has widened and demand was being met by unorganised and unregulated paying guest (PG) accommodation providers. The shortage comes as India seeks to bring more young people into higher education, with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 targeting a gross enrolment ratio (GER) of 50 per cent by 2035.
