Punjab Writes History! Kejriwal and Mann Launch India’s First Course to Make Students Entrepreneurs

National News: A new era is unfolding in Punjab as AAP’s National Convener Arvind Kejriwal embarks on a state-wide tour alongside Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, unveiling a landmark initiative that is reshaping the future of education and employment. The dynamic partnership between Kejriwal and Mann has captured public attention, symbolizing a shared vision for progress and innovation. Together, they are driving an educational transformation that is becoming a model for the entire nation. Once burdened by the challenge of job hunting, Punjab’s youth are now being empowered to shift from job seekers to job creators under the forward-thinking leadership of the Bhagwant Mann government.

Punjab Launches India’s First Mandatory Entrepreneurship Course

The Punjab government has introduced the country’s first compulsory “Entrepreneurship Mindset Course (EMC).” Starting from the 2025-26 academic session, this program has been launched in 20 universities, 320 ITIs, and 91 polytechnic institutes across the state. What makes it remarkable is that it is mandatory for all BBA, B.Tech, and B.Voc students. About 1.5 lakh students will now learn by doing business in real life, not just from textbooks. By 2028-29, this number is expected to reach 9 lakh. Punjab has thus become the first state to make entrepreneurship education compulsory at such a scale.

From Classroom Learning to Real Business Experience

This course focuses on practical learning rather than theory. Each student must start an actual business or service every semester and achieve fixed revenue goals. In the first semester, students will set up their business and earn ₹10,000. In the second, they will focus on marketing and earn ₹40,000. In the third, they will handle operations and earn ₹80,000, followed by ₹1,60,000 in the fourth semester. By the fifth semester, after mastering AI and finance, the goal is to earn ₹4,00,000. For ITI students, the goal is ₹40,000 in the first year and ₹80,000 in the second. This means that students will gain both education and income together.

A Complete Ecosystem for Young Entrepreneurs

The Mann government has taken strong measures to ensure the success of this program. Master Union has been chosen as the government’s official partner. An AI-based multilingual platform (in Punjabi, Hindi, and English) has been developed to help students with planning, dashboards, mentorship, and peer learning. Students can choose from fields like e-commerce, content creation, freelancing, retail, and professional services. This initiative is not just a course—it is a full ecosystem designed to shape successful entrepreneurs. During the Kejriwal-Mann tour, great enthusiasm has been seen in colleges and universities. Over 40 orientation sessions have already taken place, and the feedback from students has been outstanding. The academic councils of 20 universities have approved this course. Along with government universities, private ones like Lovely Professional University, Chitkara University, GNA University, and DAV University have also supported and implemented the program.

A Model Inspiring the Nation

A working group was set up in May 2025 to design this course. It included Vice Chancellors from major universities such as Punjabi University Patiala, Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, IK Gujral Punjab Technical University Kapurthala, Sardar Beant Singh State University Gurdaspur, Guru Kashi University Bathinda, and Sant Baba Bhag Singh University Jalandhar. Experts like the Startup Mission CEO, Innovation Punjab CEO, and Master Union founder Pratham Mittal also contributed. In June 2025, the Punjab government released an official advisory making this two-credit course mandatory from the 2025-26 session. It will be expanded further in phases. Punjab’s model is now motivating other states to adopt similar programs. The economic results of this plan are expected to be huge. By 2028-29, student-led businesses could generate revenue worth ₹78,600 crore—around 9% of Punjab’s GDP and 50% of the state’s annual budget. This shows a bright future for Punjab’s youth. Kejriwal said that this step marks a shift from degree-based education to entrepreneurship-based learning, following the spirit of NEP 2020. This initiative proves that when there is a clear vision and honest effort, real change happens. The Kejriwal-Mann partnership is turning out to be a blessing for Punjab. After transforming Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party is now leading an education revolution in Punjab. In the coming years, Punjab’s youth will not just look for jobs—they will create them. This is the true vision of a self-reliant India, made real by the Bhagwant Mann government.