Punjab government to impart business, marketing skills to school students

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Saturday said skill education in business and marketing will be provided to all class 11 and 12 students in government schools from the next academic session under the Punjab Young Entrepreneurs scheme. The move is aimed at encouraging students to set up their own start-ups, he asserted.

Addressing a gathering, Bains said under the 'Business Blasters Expo-2025' , students are being encouraged to become job creators instead of job seekers, with the state government providing all kinds of assistance -- both financial and technical -- to all progressive-minded students.

Referring to the expo, Bains said students selected from government schools across Punjab presented their business ideas before industrialists, start-up founders, and educationists, and all participating teams succeeded in getting financial assistance.

The minister said an investment of Rs 17 lakh has been made to set up innovation labs, where students will now be able to develop their own products, even in collaboration with the IITs.

Highlighting the Punjab Young Entrepreneurs Scheme, he said the state government has started a new era of student entrepreneurship, and this began as a pilot project in 30 schools in the state, where students were asked to present and pitch their business ideas.

Students must present at least one business idea

One shining example is of a girl student from a government school in Mullanpur Dakha, who created decorative flower pots that sold for 20 times their cost in Ludhiana. He said the students showcased a variety of products like electrical cycles, natural beauty products, handmade dupattas, driving simulator, artwork framing, natural ingredients masalas, safety sticks, chocolates and herbal soaps.

AAP leader Manish Sisodia, citing a parliamentary report, said between 2014-15 and 2021-22, 22.05 crore youth applied for jobs, but only 7 lakh were employed. This stark gap underscores the urgency of programmes like business blasters, he said.

He said that under the business blasters programme, it is now mandatory for students to present at least one business idea as a subject-based project. This ensures that every student will not only gain financial literacy and independence, but also learn the essentials of marketing and entrepreneurship, he said.