Education sector gets attention of the Private Equity players

US $40 billion opportunity prevails in for the investors in form of India's education and training market. Around 350 Indian private equity and venture capital (PE/VC) firms, who are sitting over US $10 billion, are looking at the Indian education sector to invest US $500 million (INR 2,300 crore) in the sector. Indian education and training markets are a store house of US $40-billion opportunity for investors with schools and colleges capable of attracting around $28 billion, according to PE Players. The investments in sector of education is suppose to double in 2010 as compared to 2009.

In 2009, PE investments in education saw a three-fold rise. According to data from Grand Thornton, PE investments in the sector went up from US $35 million in 2008 to US $108 million till October 2009. Vocational training, supplementary training, examination training and stationary business are also attracting investments. In 2009, around US $121 million (around INR 556 crore) was invested in eight companies, including TutorVista, Career Point, FIITJEE, ITM Group and Edutech. It is being estimated that 75% of investments in education sector is to come in the K-12 and the higher education segment.