Vertical campuses to residential schools: Inside Delhi’s new education blueprint

Delhi's new education blueprint aims to incorporate private universities, residential schools, and taller buildings into the city's existing infrastructure. This change is driven by the proposed Private Universities Law and the Master Plan for Delhi (MPD) 2047, which seek to optimize the use of limited land in the capital. The Delhi Cabinet approved a draft Bill to establish and incorporate private universities in the city, although it was not discussed during the assembly monsoon session.

The Bill will enable the development of modern, multi-storey urban campuses suitable for a land-constrained metropolis like Delhi. One-fourth of the seats in private universities will be reserved for Delhi students. The MPD 2047 also permits residential schools to operate in the city and removes height restrictions on schools and universities, allowing for more dense construction.

Schools with classes up to XII standard can now build up to 4.5 floors or 9 floors, depending on the ground coverage used. Universities will also benefit from increased flexibility, with no height restrictions and the potential for vertical campuses. The plan allocates 340 acres in Narela for an education hub, up from the previous 160 acres, and allows for the creation of a new institutional area covering roughly 150 square kilometers on the border of Delhi.