22% of Indian college students have already started a business, IIT Mandi survey finds

Indian college campuses are no longer limited to preparing for a degree and a job. The desire among the country's young people to build their own business or start-up is growing fast, according to the "GUESSS India 2025 National Survey Report" by IIT Mandi.

The report says 22 per cent of students in India's higher education institutions have already started some business. The figure is very close to the global average of 23 per cent. The survey covered 25,783 students from more than 1,200 higher education institutions in 34 states and Union Territories.

The report says 43 per cent of Indian students want to start their own business in future. A large section of students no longer sees a job as the only career path. The share of students who want to start their own work as soon as they finish studies rose from 14 per cent in 2023 to 16.2 per cent in 2025. On the other hand, the preference for government jobs and for working in large companies has declined.

Students' interest has not stopped at ideas or aspiration. Among the student entrepreneurs surveyed, 35.5 per cent said their business has regular sales. The global figure is 33 per cent, so India is slightly ahead. This shows that a section of students is trying to turn ideas into real businesses while still in college.

According to the report, 41 per cent of student entrepreneurs have made a fresh start after closing an earlier business. This suggests young entrepreneurs do not treat failure as the end of the road and are ready to try again. About 42 per cent of student entrepreneurs run more than one business.

IT, AI and digital technology have emerged as the most attractive sectors among student entrepreneurs. The number of students planning businesses in these areas is considerably high, but only 10 per cent of the student businesses currently running fall in the digital category. The gap shows that students have ideas and a passion for technology, but need good guidance and resources to take them to market.

The influence of entrepreneurs around them is also significant. According to the report, students who have an entrepreneur in their network of family, friends, peers or teachers are three times as likely to start a business as those who know no entrepreneur. The need for mentorship in colleges, interaction with successful founders and industry networking is therefore clear.

Women are almost on par with men in interest in business, but a gap shows in turning intent into an actual business. Among women who aspire to be entrepreneurs, 45 per cent actually started a business, against 53 per cent among men. The gap suggests that financial support, networks, mentorship and the backing of family or institutions play an important role in helping women turn their business ideas into businesses.