Haryana Pushes Startup Culture in Colleges, Signs Key Pact to Boost Entrepreneurship

Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): Haryana Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda on Monday said the state government is moving to strengthen entrepreneurship and startup culture in colleges and universities, drawing inspiration from successful school-level initiatives such as Buniyad and Haryana Super-100.
Chairing the fifth meeting of the Haryana State Higher Education Council in Panchkula, Dhanda said similar innovative models will now be introduced in higher education institutions to encourage youth towards self-reliance and job creation.
In a significant step, the Haryana State Higher Education Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wadhwani Foundation to promote entrepreneurship and skill development across the state’s higher education ecosystem.
Speaking at the meeting, the minister said the initiative aims to give a new direction to the public education system by linking academics with innovation, startups and employability.
Dhanda also called for the wide-scale implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and directed officials to launch a statewide awareness campaign to familiarise teachers and students with the policy’s provisions.
Under the campaign, structured programmes will be organised across districts, with educators in government schools being trained on the different aspects of the policy. Universities and vice-chancellors will also be involved in the outreach effort.
He said college and university faculty should guide students, especially those in Classes 11 and 12, about emerging opportunities in higher education so they can make informed choices about their future.
Emphasising the evolving role of educators, the minister said teachers should not be limited to academic instruction but also inspire students towards entrepreneurship and skill-based learning through workshops and training programmes.
Dhanda also stressed the need to modernise curricula in colleges and universities in line with global competitiveness, improve quality while increasing enrolment, and make efforts to attract foreign students.
During the event, the minister also released the first edition of the council’s newsletter, a Vision Mission Document 2047 and a publication based on workshop outcomes.
Haryana State Higher Education Council Chairman Prof. K.C. Sharma highlighted several initiatives undertaken by the council, including workshops in coordination with universities, AICTE and the National Board of Accreditation, as well as efforts to implement student-centric provisions under NEP 2020.
He said proposals such as performance-based budgeting for universities and strengthening teacher training infrastructure are also being pursued.
The meeting was attended by senior education officials, vice-chancellors and council members.