Since the Indian government’s decision in 2020 to allow top‑ranked foreign universities to set up branch campuses, more than 20 foreign universities are either planning to establish a presence in India or are already operating there. A report from Dr Rahul Choudaha, founder of DrEducation and author of a report called “Landscape of International University Campuses in India 2026,” considers factors that may determine whether these branch campuses can compete with foreign universities abroad and elite private universities at home.
What outcomes can branch campuses deliver?
Of 13 branch campuses Dr Choudaha analysed, only three were enrolling Indian students before this year. Of the 10 others, several received regulatory approval to admit students for 2026/27 late in the recruitment cycle. This is part of the reason that across the 13 branch campuses, under 3,000 students are currently enrolled.
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