According to the GUESSS report published in Shimla on October 21, about a quarter (approximately 22%) of students in India have already started their own businesses. This report was prepared by the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi in collaboration with Reva University from Bangalore.
The survey involved 25,783 students from over 1,200 higher education institutions across 34 states and union territories. In a statement released on Wednesday, it was noted that 43 out of every 100 Indian students intend to start their own business, which exceeds the global average of 23 percent.
The proportion of students who wish to manage their own business immediately after graduation increased from 14 percent in the 2023 study to 16.2 percent in 2025. At the same time, the desire to work in public service after studies decreased from 12.7 percent to 10.1 percent. The desire to work in a large company also decreased from 31.3 percent to 27.4 percent.
GUESS, or Global University Student Entrepreneurship Survey, is one of the largest research initiatives globally on the topic of student entrepreneurship. According to the report, 31 percent of students engaged in regular trade started their business specifically in 2025. Furthermore, 41 percent of these entrepreneurs had previously closed one business and started a new one. Additionally, 42 percent of students run two or more businesses simultaneously.
Dr. Puran Singh, Associate Professor at the School of Management, IIT Mandi, and GUESSS representative in the country, stated that Indian students possess ambitions comparable to those of students in any other country in the world. He emphasized that students who open enterprises create real companies that provide jobs for people.
He added that the curricula, special programs, and incubators located on campus demonstrate their effectiveness. However, in his opinion, there needs to be more people in students' lives who are actively involved in creating businesses, and they need help taking that first real step. After that, it should be assessed how many students turn their intentions into reality instead of just talking about starting startups.
The survey results show that students most often plan their businesses in the fields of IT, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies. Nevertheless, among existing student enterprises, only about one in ten companies is digital. Students whose relatives, friends, classmates, or teachers have already founded a business are three times more likely to start their own business.
This report, titled 'How to Make Students Entrepreneurs?', was written by Dr. Puran Singh and Praver Sharma. The survey itself was conducted from September to December 2025.
Dr. P Shyama Raju, Custodian of Reva University, the national partner of GUESSS 2025, stated that the university's task is now not only to educate students for employment but also to prepare them for running a business so they can create jobs.
Professor Shyam Kumar Maskapalli, Dean of the Department of Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy at IIT Mandi, noted that entrepreneurship means creating solutions, opportunities, and impact.
In conclusion, the report states that about 22 percent of college students have already started their own businesses, and the proportion of students wishing to run businesses immediately after graduation has increased. It is also noted that having people involved in business in one's circle increases the chances of students starting their own ventures.