1. SEMINAR
ON
REVAMPING OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION
Organized by D.T.E. M.S. and
S.G.G.S. College of Engg. & Tech. Nanded
AT
Hotel Rama International Aurangabad- 1992
Should Lessons Of
Entrepreneurship Be
Given To Engineering
Students? How?
By
S.G. Deshpande
B. E. (Mech), D.B.M. M.M.S. MIE, MISTE
Workshop Superintendent
Government Polytechnic Pune
2. SHOULD LESSONS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP BE
GIVEN TO ENGINEERING STUDENTS? HOW?
(Paper presented at seminar on Revamping of Technical Education Organized by SGGS College of
Engg &Tech Nanded and DFTE Maharashtra State at Aurangabad in 1992)
By: - S.G. Deshpande
B. E. (Mech), D.B.M. M.M.S. MIE, MISTE
Workshop Superintendent
Government Polytechnic Pune
Introduction: -Today’s economic development scene dominated by the acute shortage of
employment via-a-vis number of the number of employed youth is increasing at a serious
rate. Indian being developing economy needs more & more entrepreneurs to come forward,
so that every valuable resources and assets of the nation will be used in a productive way.
This will ultimately going to give boost to slow going economy and finally helps in
achieving in landing in better economic scenario.
Engineering Students: - Engineering Students regarded as the pillars of the nation’s
industrial development certainly requires to know about entrepreneurial activity and
functions. As this group have long been recognized as major contributing source for budding
entrepreneurs. Engineering students are the good conductors of technical knowledge, now if
this semi-finished stock is exposed to the lessons of entrepreneurship then the chances of turn
out entrepreneurs are more as compared to other category (non-engg) of students.
Government Initiative: - In National Education Policy (NEP) 1986 and its Programme of
Action (POA) document, it is specifically mention about the Entrepreneurship Development.
Policy guidelines says, “ Bringing the attitudinal changes in the minds of students as to
make them ready for selecting “Entrepreneurship” as their career choice”. After
recognizing the vital role of entrepreneurial element in economic development Government
at state and center level established the Centers for Entrepreneurship Development in each
state under the Ministry of Science & Technology. These centers have started the
Entrepreneurship Awareness Camps (EAC) and Entrepreneurship Development Programmes
(EDP). Government now seriously thinking about the development of entrepreneurship in
various sectors, as a result of which Government has started various schemes of financial
assistance for the up-upcoming entrepreneurs. Various financial institutions like DIC
(District Industries Centers), MIDC, MSSIDC, SISI, LEAD BANKS etc are coming forward
for the assistance of entrepreneurs. The MCED (Maharashtra State for Entrepreneurship
Development) in one of such agency looking after imparting training to the unemployed
people in the area of Entrepreneurship Development.
Entrepreneurship Training To Engineering Students: - The lessons of entrepreneurship
provided by the MCED and other organizations are not focuses on proper-targeted students.
These agencies are imparting training to the students from non-engg. Field like Arts,
commerce, Science etc. In fact these trainings programmes not only provide necessary
3. information necessary in becoming Entrepreneurs but it also gives insight about one’s own
personality. There are some in-born qualities, which become instrumental in transforming
person into an entrepreneur. One of the important qualities of Entrepreneur is “Technical
Knowledge”, the engineering students are technically competent and skillful so why not
these lessons to be imparted to them? In fact, if such training is given to engineering students,
then the turn out percentage of entrepreneurship will be more.
How Lessons Should Bee Imparted? : The Entrepreneurs are neither born not made.
There are some inborn qualities in a person conducive for entrepreneurship. If such
personalities are properly located and then trained though a systematic series of trainings,
then training will be more productive as engineering students are more prone for
entrepreneurship areas. The main question is not whether the engineering students are to be
exposed to these types of training, but how these training shall be imparted to them?
Steps/ Methodology For Imparting Training: - The steps listed below will certainly helps
in generating the awareness among the engineering student about the entrepreneurship
choice.
1) Centers and cells established by the Government shall strongly recommend, Department
of Technical education to introduce the subject on Entrepreneurship Studies and Practices
in the curriculum of Engineering degree and diploma programmes. Universities and
SBTE (State Boars of Technical Examination) should take initiative to introduce such
subject in their curriculum.
2) Frequently arranging the camps at institute and class room level: - In this regard, institute
at its own or with the help of EDC Centers arrange frequent camps of identification and
selection of students among the entire institute, who are prone for such entrepreneurship
development attitude. The selection requires some test or quiz or examination, which will
screen the potentially suitable students for such programmes.
3) Providing the test of Achievement Motivations: - These are some of the tests, which will
explore the possibilities of more achievement motivation among the students. The
McClelland tests on Need For Achievement (N-ach) will prove to be very effective in
selecting student with more N-ach factor. Some personalities have more need foe
affiliation (N-aff), some have more need for power (N-power) and some have more need
for competence (N-competence), but according to McClelland the person with more Need
for achievement (N-ach) will be transform quickly into an entrepreneur.
4) The McClelland has prescribed the some tests like “Problem Solving’, “Ring Tossing”
and “Dice Throw” games which will point out the students inclination towards the Need
for Achievement. The achievement plays a role motivation for student and they will go
for achieving more and more things
5) The another exercise that can be used is SWOT Analysis and Application of Johari
Window.” The technique of SWOT analysis is helpful in identifying the student about
their own Strengths Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of their own personality.
4. Similarly the “Johari Window.” is a powerful tool for examining the intra-personal traits
of one’s own personality. (The Tests are discussed in Appendix)
6) By operating these test the potential group of student can be screened out. Now this
selected group of students shall expose to various tests and training which includes the
development traits like Risk taking Bold ness Courage, Managerial abilities etc. They
should be provided necessary information about the various small tiny products and its
production process, requirement of raw material, man power required for processing,
need of working capital, financial assistance and schemes offered by various financial
institutions.
7) The interview or interaction with successful Entrepreneur: - This is an important activity
wherein student will interact with successful entrepreneurs, so that they can get feel of
entrepreneur personality, how he behaves, how he manages, what kind of situational
decision making he makes. All this will motivate student to go for self-employment as
career choice. Regular such activities will change the attitude of student favorable for
Entrepreneurship activity.
8) Students may be assigned with a task of preparing the project report for the small
products and inputs of project feasibility may be given to them. The ready made project
profile available with DIC, SISI and MCED organization will prove to b best guidelines
for them, Such project profile presentation shall be arranged for final year students.
9) Incubation centers: - Once the students are ready for self-employment they also require
sustainability, guidance and assistance, as they have to interact with out side world. Like
small bird require the shelter of his mother, the institute provide such shelter in the form
of advice, guidance and assistance in getting loans from the banks or other financial
institutions. A separate cell is to be established in the institute to look after form such
difficulties of the student who started their ventures
These are some of the steps, which an institute can adapt with the active help of SISI or
MCED organizations.
Epilogue: - One thing is certain that Entrepreneurship is partly depends upon personal
make-up but largely depends upon the surrounding environment in which incumbent will
accepting entrepreneurship as a career choice. The Government is also keen on looking for
speedy development of entrepreneurship as they realized the time-tested fact that these
entrepreneurs hold the key for all round development of nation. Tomorrow the number of
student asking for job will be more and number of jobs will be less, in such situation we will
be forced to think of entrepreneurship development, then why not today itself?
(This paper ahs awarded 2nd
Best Paper Award in the seminar at Aurangabad)
5. APPENDIX
SWOT ANALYSIS EXERRCISE
The word SWOT indicates Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and ThreatsThe word SWOT indicates Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
SWOT Analysis is an effective method of identifying yourSWOT Analysis is an effective method of identifying your StrengthsStrengths andand
WeaknessesWeaknesses, of your personality as well as, of your personality as well as OpportunitiesOpportunities andand ThreatsThreats to yourto your
personality.personality.
To construct your own SWOT analysis so as to set a course of action for yourTo construct your own SWOT analysis so as to set a course of action for your
Career planning, first examine or assess your current situation. Write down theCareer planning, first examine or assess your current situation. Write down the
SWOT factors of your own personalitySWOT factors of your own personality
Fill the following Table
Internal
Environmen
t
Strengths
__________________________
_
__________________________
_
__________________________
_
__________________________
_
__________________________
_
__________________________
_
Weaknesses
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
7. OPEN
SELF (A)
BLIND
SELF (B)
HIDDEN
SELF (C)
DARK
SELF (d)
JOHARI WINDOWJOHARI WINDOW
A] Open Self =Traits of your personality known to you as well as others.A] Open Self =Traits of your personality known to you as well as others.
B] Blind Self= Traits of your personality unknown to you but known to othersB] Blind Self= Traits of your personality unknown to you but known to others
C] Hidden Self= Traits of your personality known to you but unknown to othersC] Hidden Self= Traits of your personality known to you but unknown to others
D] Dark Self= Traits of your personality unknown to youD] Dark Self= Traits of your personality unknown to you as well as unknown toas well as unknown to
others.others.
