Nri Investment Options In Indian Education Sector

India has emerged as a strong potential market for investments in training and education sector

, due to its favourable demographics (young population) and being a services-driven economy. Further, Indias expanding role in sectors such as software development, generic pharmaceuticals and healthcare, would require the country to invest into learning and training segment as well.

Market size of education sector in IndiaWith a growth rate of 10 to 15 per cent expected over the next decade, education in India has witnessed a series of developments and changes in the last few years, which has resulted in a significant increase in the market size and investment opportunities as compared to previous years.

In India, the pre-school segment is currently worth US$ 750 million and is expected to reach US$ 1 billion by 2012, said Arun Arora, Chairman, Serra International Pre-Schools.

The market size of K-12 sector is expected to reach US$ 34 billion in 2012, with a rise of 14 per cent, as compared to US$ 20 billion in 2008.

Vocational education/training is gathering huge investments from corporate and private equity (PE) firms as the methodology and technology pertaining to this sector is witnessing significant improvements.

Investment in Indian education sectorEducation in India is also considered as one of the major areas for investments as the entire education system is going through a process of renovation, according to a report Emerging Opportunities for Private and Foreign Participants in Higher Education by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The Government of India has allowed foreign direct Investment (FDI) up to 100 per cent through the automatic route in the education sector.

Government Initiatives for promoting education sector in IndiaSome of the initiatives taken by the Government of India for infrastructural development of education sector are as follows:The Ministry of Human Resource Development plans to set up ten community colleges in collaboration with the Government of Canada in 2012. The Government of India has decided to set up hundred community colleges this year.The Government of Gujarat plans to set up a farming educational institute in collaboration with Israel, offering post-graduation and Ph.D programmes with practical training and degree from Israeli universities.The Government of India also plans to set up an Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology at Ranchi with investments of Rs 287.50 crore.Future of Indian education sectorConsulting firm Technopak is very positive about the growth of the sector and estimates private education sector alone to grow to US$ 70 billion by 2013 and US$ 115 billion by 2018 in its study A Report Card on Indias Education Sector.

There are clear investment opportunities for private players to enter the Indian education space. The opportunity exists in all three segments schooling, higher education and vocational training. Some success stories are Manipal University, Amity University and the Indian School of Business. Public-private partnerships (PPP) arrangements, tax concessions for education and encouraging foreign capital to build infrastructure in India would encourage the creation of new capacities by the private sector.

Indias education sector is expected to witness huge investments from PE funds over the next couple of years on the back of increased Government spending and expansion plans of private players.

by: Harjeet

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