For decades, India’s higher education landscape has been closely associated with major metropolitan cities. Students seeking specialised academic programmes, industry networks, research opportunities and international exposure have often looked towards Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
However, this traditional model is evolving. Regional cities are increasingly exploring how educational institutions can create meaningful opportunities closer to home. Dehradun, already known for its established school education ecosystem, is part of this broader conversation.
One of the education leaders associated with this shift is Raunak Jain of Tulas Group, whose vision for expanding educational opportunities beyond metropolitan cities is explored in this Republic World feature on Raunak Jain and Dehradun’s emergence as an education hub.
Who Is Raunak Jain?
Raunak Jain is an education-sector leader associated with the development of Tulas Group in Uttarakhand. After completing his graduation and postgraduate studies at Royal Holloway, University of London, Jain returned to Dehradun in 2012 and joined Tulas International School as Managing Director.
His professional journey reflects a larger question facing India’s education sector: how can institutions outside the country’s largest cities provide students with the academic exposure, practical experience and global outlook required in a changing economy?
Rather than treating geography as a limitation, the idea is to develop educational institutions that connect regional talent with wider academic and professional opportunities.
For a deeper look at his background, career and ambitions, read the Republic World profile of Raunak Jain and his vision for building an education hub beyond India’s metros.
Why Dehradun Has the Potential to Become a Larger Education Hub
Dehradun has long attracted students because of its educational institutions and established academic environment. Its opportunity today extends beyond school education to the development of a more connected higher education ecosystem.
Three factors make this transition worth examining.
1. Expanding Opportunities Beyond Metropolitan Cities
Moving to a metropolitan city for higher education can involve substantial expenses, including accommodation, transportation and everyday living costs. Students must also adapt to unfamiliar environments and compete for opportunities in larger urban centres.
Regional education hubs can offer an alternative by developing relevant academic programmes, student support systems and professional networks closer to students’ home regions.
The objective is not to suggest that every regional institution can immediately replicate the resources of a major metropolitan university. Instead, it is to create credible alternatives that combine academic quality with access to emerging career opportunities.
2. Connecting Education With Industry and Innovation
A degree alone is no longer a complete measure of career readiness. Employers increasingly value practical problem-solving, communication, technical proficiency and the ability to apply classroom knowledge.
This makes industry engagement an important part of modern higher education. Universities can strengthen learning through internships, applied research, entrepreneurship programmes, innovation laboratories and collaborations with professionals.
For institutions looking to compete nationally, the challenge is to make these opportunities part of the student experience rather than occasional extracurricular activities.
3. Building a Global Outlook Locally
International exposure does not necessarily have to mean relocating abroad for an entire degree. Academic collaborations, visiting faculty, research partnerships, international projects and cross-border learning opportunities can also broaden students’ perspectives.
Education leaders who have experienced different academic systems can help inform conversations about how these approaches might be adapted to Indian institutions.
Raunak Jain’s international education background and subsequent return to Dehradun provide relevant context for understanding the vision behind Tulas Group’s development.
Raunak Jain and the Evolution of Tulas Group
Tulas Group’s development illustrates the broader ambition to build an educational ecosystem that extends beyond conventional classroom teaching.
The organisation’s educational activities span school and higher education. Tulas University represents another dimension of this development, with opportunities to expand multidisciplinary learning, research and entrepreneurship.
Raunak Jain’s approach to education and the development of Tulas Group have also been explored in this Republic World feature on his role in building an education hub beyond India’s metropolitan cities. The profile provides additional context on his journey and the broader ambition to expand educational opportunities in Dehradun.
Institutional growth, however, is only one part of the equation. The long-term value of an education ecosystem depends on what students experience: the quality of teaching, relevance of curricula, access to faculty, research opportunities, industry engagement and outcomes after graduation.
For Raunak Jain and other education leaders working beyond metropolitan centres, the broader challenge is to ensure that institutional expansion translates into meaningful opportunities for students.
Can Regional Education Hubs Compete With India’s Metros?
The answer depends on how success is measured.
Metropolitan cities benefit from dense networks of companies, research institutions, investors and established universities. Regional cities may not possess the same concentration of resources, but they can develop distinctive advantages through focused academic programmes, partnerships and institutional collaboration.
A successful education hub requires more than a collection of campuses. It needs connections between education, research, employment and entrepreneurship.
Students should be able to move from acquiring knowledge to applying it, testing ideas and developing skills relevant to real-world challenges.
Regional institutions must also demonstrate their value through transparent academic standards, credible placement information, research quality and student outcomes. Location alone cannot substitute for educational quality.
Dehradun’s future as a higher education destination will therefore depend on the strength of its institutions and their ability to create opportunities that students and employers genuinely value.
The Future of Higher Education Beyond Metros
India’s next phase of educational development will not be determined exclusively by what happens in its largest cities. Regional institutions also have an opportunity to contribute to research, innovation, professional education and entrepreneurship.
The challenge is to build institutions that are locally rooted while remaining connected to national and international academic networks.
Raunak Jain’s journey from studying in London to returning to Dehradun and taking on leadership responsibilities at Tulas Group offers one perspective on this wider shift.
For readers interested in the person behind this vision, the Republic World article about Raunak Jain’s education vision and the emergence of Dehradun as an education hub provides further background on his professional journey and ambitions.
The larger question is whether cities beyond the traditional metropolitan centres can develop educational ecosystems that combine academic credibility, practical learning and global exposure.
If regional institutions can deliver on these priorities, students may have more choices about where to pursue their ambitions without automatically assuming that the best opportunities exist only in India’s biggest cities.
Raunak Jain’s journey reflects this wider shift: the possibility of building globally relevant educational opportunities in a city that has traditionally been better known for school education than for its higher education ecosystem.
Ultimately, the success of this vision will depend on tangible outcomes, including student achievement, research, innovation, industry partnerships and the quality of opportunities available to graduates. These are the measures that can help establish Dehradun as a serious participant in India’s evolving higher education landscape.
