1 in 5 Indian college students already runs a business, IIT Mandi finds
Starting a business is becoming a more attractive career option for Indian college students, with more aspiring founders looking to launch ventures straight after graduation. An IIT Mandi-led survey also finds that one in five students in India already run businesses while fewer students now prefer government jobs or careers in large companies.
by India Today Education Desk · India TodayIn Short
- 22% of Indian college students have already started a business, close to the global average of 23%
- 43% want to become entrepreneurs, while 16.2% plan to start up immediately after graduation
- Students with entrepreneurs in their social circles are three times more likely to start a venture
A college degree is no longer the only thing some Indian students are working towards. More than one in five college students in India has already started a business, while 43% want to become entrepreneurs, according to a new report led by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi.
The GUESSS India 2025 National Survey Report, prepared in partnership with REVA University, Bengaluru, surveyed 25,783 students across more than 1,200 higher education institutions in 34 states and Union Territories. It found that 22% of Indian students had already started a business, close to the global average of 23%.
Among student founders, 35.5% reported regular sales, compared with 33% globally. The findings suggest that student entrepreneurship is not limited to business ideas or classroom projects, with a share of young founders already earning from their ventures.
FROM CAMPUS TO START-UP: THE SHIFT IS REAL
The survey also points to a change in what students want to do after completing their studies. More students now plan to start their own businesses immediately after graduation, while the preference for government jobs and employment in large companies has declined.
| Career preference immediately after studies | 2023 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Start own business | 14.0% | 16.2% |
| Government job | 12.7% | 10.1% |
| Job in a large company | 31.3% | 27.4% |
The share of students aspiring to start a business immediately after graduation rose by 2.2 percentage points between the two surveys. Meanwhile, the proportion preferring government jobs fell by 2.6 percentage points.
YOUNG FOUNDERS ARE NOT AFRAID TO TRY AGAIN
The report also highlights how quickly some student entrepreneurs are moving from ideas to action. Among student businesses with regular sales, 31% were founded in 2025 alone, compared with 18% globally.
Nearly 41% of founders whose businesses had regular sales had shut down an earlier venture before starting again. The global figure stood at 33%. Meanwhile, 42% of these Indian founders ran two or more businesses, against 25% globally.
Information technology, artificial intelligence and digital services emerged as the most common areas students planned to explore. However, only around one in 10 student-run businesses was digital, pointing to a gap between what aspiring entrepreneurs plan and the businesses they actually operate.
KNOWING A FOUNDER CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The survey found that students with entrepreneurs among their relatives, friends, classmates or teachers were three times more likely to start a venture.
However, half of Indian students said they did not know any entrepreneur beyond their parents. The report also identified a gap in converting business ideas into sales: among students still developing their ventures, 10% had made their first sale, compared with 23% globally.
Women showed nearly the same level of interest in starting businesses as men, but a gap emerged in taking the first step. Among those who wanted to become founders, 45% of women had started a business, compared with 53% of men.
"India's students are as ambitious as any in the world, and those who start are building real businesses that already hire people," said Dr Puran Singh, Associate Professor at the School of Management, IIT Mandi, and Country Delegate for GUESSS India.
The report recommends that universities, incubators and governments focus on helping students turn their ambitions into actual businesses, by connecting them with founders and prioritising first sales, registrations and prototypes.
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