New Delhi, Jan. 9 -- India's online skilling firms banked on co-branded courses for years, leveraging the credibility of legacy institutions. As the nation's young population swells and stricter visa norms shut the gates overseas, some of them are chasing full university status.

Master's Union and Scaler, among higher education platforms that promise to impart industry-ready skills outside the traditional degree system, are evaluating the acquisition of university licences in India, their founders said. PhysicsWallah also plans to build an innovation-focused university in Andhra Pradesh.

Approximately half of India's population of 1.4 billion is under the age of 25, according to the government's estimates. Grand View Research estimates ...