Attitude and Perceptions of Students Towards Entrepreneurship in Jammu and Kashmir

Entrepreneurship development is central to socioeconomic growth in both developed and developing countries. In the case of India, it is a stated national policy to promote startups and kindle the entrepreneurial spirit among the youth. Else, there is a risk of the demographic dividend becoming a liability. Several states in India have made remarkable progress in this domain resulting in an established ecosystem for entrepreneurship development and support. Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost region in the nation, also needs to emulate such successful models while leveraging government policies designed to support entrepreneurship. This exploratory study therefore examines the attitudes and perception of students in higher technical education towards entrepreneurship and choosing it as a career option. We conclude that government agencies, technical institutions, universities, schools, industry, and professional bodies need to come together with a viable action plan based around awareness, customized programs, deep engagement, handholding, mentoring and support for young students to see real outcomes on the ground.