Colleges join hands with EDI to provide entrepreneurship skills to students
Srinagar, Aug 26: Amid the rising unemployment rate, the Government Degree Colleges (GDCs) in Kashmir are roping in Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) to provide entrepreneurship skills to the students. The colleges are focusing on to instill business skills among the students to become self reliant.
In this regard Sheikh-ul-Alam Memorial (SAM) Degree College on Tuesday organised a district level startup idea bootcamp in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI), Budgam. The event was hosted by hosted by the Institution Innovation Council (110) at SAM Degree College Budgam under Startup Policy 2024-2047.
On the occasion over 20 students presented their innovative ideas to a jury of six experts who judged the ideas based on their potential to be turned into a viable business idea.
The jury members included Principal, SAM Degree College Prof. Mohammad Amin Malik, District Nodal Officer (DNO) JKEDI Syed Nazneen, Director RSETI Imtiyaz Ahmad Khan, JKEDI Faculty Ashraf Sheikh, Convenor of IICr SAM Degree College Budgam, Dr. Gazala Anjum (HoD Physics), and Saba Nazir (Faculty, JKEDI).
In his presidential address, Prof Mohammad Amin Malik said amid rising unemployment, instilling entrepreneurship amongst the youth of J&K was the only way to make them self reliant. He urged the youth to take advantage of technical breakthroughs like Artificial Intelligence, and digitalisation to aid India's green transition.
"Youth of India must find their niche in the areas of Al, digitalisation and green growth. The basis for the first industrial revolution was the scientific revolution which in turn was a product of the intellectual enlightenment. As a human race, we have come all the way through to the fifth industrial revolution where Al transition is important for further innovation," he said. Head Department Physics Dr. Ghazala Anjum who is also the Convenor of 110 Budgam Degree College in her address emphasized the importance of imagination and ideation.
Assistant Faculty JKEDI Dr. Irem Hussaine in her address briefed the students about J&K Startup Policy 2024-2027 as well as the various entrepreneurship development initiatives taken by JKEDI. Dr. Iram Husseine gave a lively presentation to the audience about the importance of disruptive ideas to the startup ecosystem. She also briefed about the J&K government's startup policy 2024-2047 which aims at making J&K a leading startup ecosystem, enriching new incubation centres and Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs), facilitating tie-ups with venture capital and investors. "The policy aims to create 2,000 startups in the UT of J&K in the next five years, with a special emphasis on women entrepreneurs and persons with disabilities. There has been a 1500% surge in the number of startups registered with JKEDI from 2021 to 2025," she said.
Another Assitant Faculty JKEDI Rahilla Nazir presented case studies of J&K startup and said that an idea is like a spark which ignites the flame of enterprise and innovation. She briefed about the successful case studies of entrepreneurship from district Budgam including Mushood Hafiz Nazki, a student entrepreneur who started a mobile sale and service shop and who now owns Gousia Telecommunications, a famous mobile outlet in Budgam, whose annual turnover "is to the tune of Rs. 50 Lakh." Syed Nazneen (DNO, JKEDI) conducted an ideation workshop. Ovase Buda of M/S Green Energy - a recognised mentor laid out Dos and Don'ts for entrepreneurs. He briefed the audience about green energy alternatives and said his company produces wood pellets from wood waste, such as saw dust, residual wood products as a replacement for diesel. "My company currently provides central heating solutions for hotels and residential buildings, achieving a savings of 65% in energy costs," he said. Notably, similar programme was organised at Government Degree College (GDC) Anantnag wherein students presented their startup ideas and were given tips to turn their ideas into a sustainable business.
