Entrepreneurship mindset curriculum in Delhi schools

After the successful implementation of novel academic initiatives such as Happiness Curriculum (2018) and Deshabhakthi Syllabi (2020-2021), the Delhi State Government has recently launched an innovative career-oriented learning programme called Business Blasters Programme as a core component of Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum (EMC) in School Education. This is the first-ever school-level start-up programme in India similar to the one generally followed by European countries to instill the quality, skills and confidence among school students to take up start-up ventures from an early age.

Entrepreneurship plays an influential role in the economic growth and development of every country. The aim of this course is to instill and kindle the spirit of entrepreneurship among students. The Business Blasters Programme is introduced as an additional elective for all XI and XII students. EMC classes are held daily with success stories, activities and exercises to enable students to learn and understand concepts like mindfulness, self-awareness, joyfulness, confidence, understanding risks and uncertainties in business, trying new challenges, thinking critically, recognise opportunities, being creative, communicate and lead effectively, collaborative and life-long learning etc. For this subject, there is no written examination, marks or grades. It’s a practical-oriented one which transforms the mindset of students from job seekers to job creators.

The pedagogy for developing the entrepreneurial mindset in students is primarily experiential, with same degree of inspiration and a lot of reflection. The pedagogy is classified into six components, i.e. four are conducted inside the classroom and two are engaged outside the classroom. Career exploration and field projects are the two conducted outside the classrooms. Mindfulness, thematic units, students specials and live entrepreneur interactions etc will be taking place inside the classroom.

The syllabus of EMC is divided into seven units and project work: Entrepreneurship… what, why and how? An entrepreneur – meaning & definition; entrepreneurial journey; entrepreneurship as innovation and problem solving; understanding the market; business arithmetic and revenue mobilisation.

The Delhi state government has granted Rs 60 crore as Seed Fund (Rs 2,000 each) for 60 lakh 11th and 12th class students. With this fund at hand, students can promote or evolve a business idea to start either individually or as a team of classmates from a particular locality. The SCERT has appointed business coaches to schools for guiding and supporting student entrepreneurs. These coaches are MBA students or investors who are voluntarily teaming up with schools.

In the first few classes, it is reported that 51,000 start-up ideas were discussed and 1,000 eco-friendly, profit-focussed ideas are short-listed. Now brainstorming sessions are progressing to further shortlist 100 business ideas to present before investors in the next round of Shark Tank India’s second episode. Shark Tank India is a subsidiary of American Business reality show in which investors are interacting with student entrepreneurs about business ideas, research, product or service, technology, online or offline, marketing challenges, profit margin etc.

EMC became part of the classroom curriculum for Delhi schools. This idea of lubricating the wheel of Delhi’s economic development is the brainchild of Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia. For him, entrepreneurship education is to develop an entrepreneurial culture to create new ventures and foster a managerial mindset through education.

The students in the age group of 16 to 17 years are taught and groomed up with leadership qualities and skills, basic theories of decision making as well as to confront the risky and uncertain situation, team-building, communication skills, business strategy and mentorship are transpired in the classroom by the coaches and experts. Besides operation plans which include funding, financial, capital investment, working capital, costing and pricing of product or service, building revenue streams, tax benefits, grants from Central and state governments, loans and advances from banks and investors are thematically addressed. Further, the generation of youth community of entrepreneurs can reap the harvest of India’s demographic dividend.

(The writer is the principal of Sharada Residential School, Udupi)