In a significant move towards fostering entrepreneurship among students, the Higher Education Department, Government of Gujarat, in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), awarded startup grants to 136 innovative minds under the Student Entrepreneurship Policy. The ceremony took place at the EDII campus, where students were granted financial assistance of INR 40,000 each to support their startup ventures.
The initiative, a part of the Student Entrepreneurship Policy, aimed to encourage and support budding entrepreneurs among college students. The selected 136 students were chosen from a pool of 838 candidates, who were initially trained by their college faculty members. These faculty members, in turn, received training from EDII in 10 separate training programs, totaling 426 faculty members.
The selection process involved the nomination of 460 students by the trained faculty members. These students underwent refinement of their startup ideas and were trained to pitch their concepts in front of a panel consisting of EDII faculty, principal/nodal officer of the host institute, an expert from i-Hub, and officials from the Higher Education Department, Government of Gujarat. From these ideas, 136 were selected for the grant presentation under the Student Entrepreneurship Policy.
The grant presentation ceremony was graced by the presence of Shri Praful Pansheriya, Hon’ble Minister of State, Parliamentary Affairs, Primary, Secondary, and Adult Education, Higher Education, Government of Gujarat. Also in attendance were Shri Vadan Singh Bodana, Additional Director, Higher Education, Government of Gujarat, and Dr. Satya Ranjan Acharya, Director, Department of Entrepreneurship Education, EDII.
Shri Praful Pansheriya, while congratulating the students, expressed his delight at the growing trend of students embracing entrepreneurship over traditional job-seeking. He commended the 136 students for their innovative spirit and assured them that their decision to embark on an entrepreneurial journey would be rewarding. He also emphasized the state’s commitment to supporting such initiatives, ensuring a bright future for the young entrepreneurs.
The Student Entrepreneurship Policy, envisioned by the Government of Gujarat, aims to promote and develop entrepreneurship alongside academic pursuits among students studying in Government and Non-Government arts, science, commerce, B.Ed, law colleges, and Gramya Vidyapeeth.
Under the MoU signed between EDII and the Higher Education Department in November 2023, the institute provides crucial support to the education department by implementing the policy. This includes preparing a cadre of resource persons (faculty mentors to impart entrepreneurship-related training), conducting training programs, and workshops for students to equip them with the skills necessary to establish their own enterprises.
The grants awarded under the Student Entrepreneurship Policy mark a significant step towards nurturing a culture of entrepreneurship among the youth of Gujarat. The success of these initiatives not only empowers the individual students but also contributes to the overall economic growth and development of the state.
