CM Bhagwant Mann: Punjab’s higher education system has taken an unconventional turn under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, with a mandatory entrepreneurship course quietly turning classrooms into startup incubators. Branded Business Class, the programme is part of the state’s broader Sikhya Kranti and has already produced thousands of student entrepreneurs in its very first year.
Turning Degrees Into Businesses
Introduced as a two-credit compulsory subject for students pursuing B.Com, BBA, B.Tech and B.Voc courses, along with ITI and Polytechnic students, the course covered nearly 95,000 students in its debut year. Rather than relying on exams alone, students are expected to build, test and launch a real business idea each semester, with credits tied to innovation and actual earnings.
Real Numbers, Real Ventures
The results have been striking. Of the students enrolled, 25,693 went on to start their own businesses, while 20,241 of these ventures collectively generated close to Rs 90 crore in revenue within the first year. The programme currently spans 20 universities, 494 colleges, 320 ITIs and 91 polytechnics, covering 925 institutions across Punjab.
From Business Blasters to Business Class
The initiative builds on the earlier Punjab Business Blasters model, which introduced entrepreneurship at the school level. Business Class extends that same philosophy into higher education, aligning with the National Education Policy’s push for skill-based learning over rote instruction.
A Vision for a Startup State
CM Bhagwant Mann: Punjab‘s Higher and Technical Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the programme aims to nurture young innovators and job creators rather than just degree holders. CM Mann has described the goal in simple terms: turning every college into a potential birthplace for new businesses, and every student into someone capable of building rather than just seeking employment.
