Entrepreneurship in Higher Education: From Classrooms to Startups

This chapter examines the evolving role of higher education in cultivating entrepreneurial skills and mindsets among Indian students. It provides an overview of current entrepreneurship education programs and initiatives in Indian higher education institutions, highlighting recent policy developments and government schemes aimed at fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem. The chapter introduces a novel “Classroom to Startup Transformation Model” that integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior with entrepreneurship education to explain how students develop entrepreneurial intentions and transition from academic learning to launching startups. The key challenges in implementing effective entrepreneurship education in India are discussed along with recommendations for strengthening the entrepreneurial curriculum, faculty training, industry partnerships, and institutional support systems. The findings suggest that a structured approach to entrepreneurship education aligned with India’s unique cultural and economic context can play a crucial role in nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs and supporting India’s vision of becoming a $5 trillion economy. This chapter contributes to the growing body of literature on entrepreneurship education in emerging economies and provides practical insights for educators and policymakers seeking to enhance students’ entrepreneurial capabilities.