Why India’s online skilling firms seek university status

Master’s Union and Scaler are among firms evaluating getting university licences in India

- Mansi Verma

PhysicsWallah plans to build an innovation-focused university in Andhra Pradesh.

India’s online skilling firms banked on co-branded courses for years, leveraging the credibility of legacy institutions.

As the nation’s young population swells and stricter visa norms shut the gates overseas, some of them are chasing full university status.

Master’s Union and Scaler, among higher education platforms that promise to impart industry-ready skills outside the traditional degree system, are evaluating the acquisition of university licences in India, their founders said. PhysicsWallah also plans to build an innovation-focused university in Andhra Pradesh.

Approximately half of India’s population of 1.4 billion is under the age of 25, according to the government’s estimates. Grand View Research estimates India’s higher education market's revenue to nearly triple from $19.4 billion in 2023 to $54.4 billion by 2030, growing at an annualized rate of 15.8%.

India today has the largest population in its history that is eligible for higher education, with policymakers pushing to significantly increase the gross enrolment ratio over the next decade, according to Narayanan Ramaswamy, partner and national leader for the education and skill development practice at KPMG.