BENGALURU: GEMS Education (India), part of the Dubai-based Varkey Group that operates K-12 private school operators GEMS Education, has unveiled its expansion strategy in India, with an initial investment of USD 30 million over the next three to five years. The plan included the development of more than 30 GEMS-operated schools, 1,000 GEMS Partner Schools, and the creation of a dedicated School of Education focused on teacher training, leadership development and educational research.“As part of its immediate growth path, GEMS India has confirmed a pipeline of 21 GEMS-operated school projects. The first five schools are expected to open by academic year 2026 in Greater Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Rajasthan. Another 16 campuses are planned for the next two years in eight states, adding to the organization’s existing network of schools in Gurgaon, Kochi and Lucknow NCR. Definite plans are already underway in cities including Ghaziabad, Pune, Coimbatore and Raipur,” said a press release from the group. The schools will offer CBSE, ICSE, Cambridge and International Baccalaureate (IB) curricula.To support long-term education infrastructure development, GEMS India is also in the process of setting up a dedicated Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) under the provisions of the SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012, he said. The fund focuses on the acquisition of quality school infrastructure and the development of new campuses. Commenting on the announcement, Sunny Varkey, Founder and President, GEMS Education, said: “Quality education remains the most powerful catalyst for societal transformation. Our commitment to India is rooted in the belief that every child, regardless of geography or background, deserves access to the world’s learning opportunities.”
