78% of our Students turned Entrepreneurs, highest success rate in India: EDII Ahmedabad Director General, Dr Sunil Shukla

Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII),  Ahmedabad has emerged a leading management institute and is the front runner in offering management programmes in Entrepreneurship. 78% of its students have turned as entrepreneurs. Top executives of apex financial institutions are on the Board of Governors of EDII.

Dr Sunil Shukla  Director General of EDII,  has been associated with the institution for a long time and is also the national team leader of Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) India, the largest study of entrepreneurial dynamics. Dr Shukla’s entrepreneurship growth model for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries has been recognized for ensuing development and trade in the region. MBAUniverse.com spoke to Dr Sunil Shukla to learn more about the EDII and its innovative PGDM programs.  

Excerpts of the Interview are shared below:

Q. EDII is one of the pioneers in Entrepreneurship Development in India. Please share key milestones from you long journey…
A: Yes, EDII is into entrepreneurship education, training, research and policy advocacy for the last 37 years and has taken entrepreneurship across sections and sectors. The results have been extremely heartening and colossal in both urban and rural locales. A recent survey revealed that the success rate of the Post Graduate Diploma in Management- Business Entrepreneurship (PGDM-BE) programme is 78 percent with students either setting up own business or joining their family business. This is perhaps the highest success rate of creating entrepreneurs by any B-school in India.

Some of the achievements over 37 years are:

• Evolved the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) Model; widely being implemented as EDI-EDP Model at national & international levels.
• Research on 'Review of Entrepreneurship Curricula in Higher Learning Institutions' helped University Grants Commission, Govt. of India in developing entrepreneurship curriculum for college level education.
• Launched the first-of-its-kind structured educational programme to train students in New Enterprise Creation and Family Business Management. Subsequently won recognitions for the course including; AICTE, AIU, NBA and USASBE-USA
• Formulated policy level interventions for institutionalizing entrepreneurship development in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.  Work in a few other countries are under progress.
• Established a DST supported ‘Technology Business Incubator’

Q. You were appointed as Director 5 years ago. How has the journey been and what is your vision for EDII?
A: EDII has always moved ahead with a proper review of the trends and practices. With accent on entrepreneurship, EDII has implemented a new academic course and several new programmes to place people on the path of self employment. Our action plan is based on a detailed probe and analysis.

Over the next few years or so, we look forward to institutionalising business support services and resources to accelerate the process of New Enterprise Creation and also to strengthen the existing edifice of business in the country. Entrepreneurship Education related Programmes will receive emphasis and our efforts will also be directed towards ensuring that there are initiatives across different sections and sectors of society. Skill based enterprises will be the focus of initiatives. All in all, entrepreneurship will be promoted and widespread Pan-India through outcome based projects and programmes.

Q. Please share the details about EDII flagship PGDM-BE programme?
A.Our flagship 2-year Post Graduate Diploma in Management- Business Entrepreneurship (PGDM-BE) programme is AICTE approved. After completing the programme, students prefer to turn as entrepreneurs instead of seeking jobs.

Q. It is learnt that EDII has launched another flagship PGDM programme. Please share about it
A. We have launched 2 years full time PGDM in Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Venture Development (IEV). The programme is AICTE approved and provides skills for the sustainable business opportunities.

Q: Please tell us more about your Business Entrepreneurship Program.
A: Our Post Graduate Diploma in Management- Business Entrepreneurship (PGDM-BE) offers specializations in New Venture Creation and Family Business Management. This course, following an outcome based learning approach, also offers electives which besides imparting knowledge on creating and managing business, enhances knowledge in the functional areas of marketing, finance, international business, HRM, information system and language and communication.

At the end of two years students are ready with a bankable project report. EDII extends the necessary follow up support to ensure that as per their identified business opportunity, they have a sound and bankable business plan. Students of Family Business Management are ready with a Five Year Perspective Growth Plan.

Key Program USPs are:

• EDII Launchpad – This co-working space enables student entrepreneurs to work individually or in a team to gain entrepreneurial experience and understand the market pressures and demands in the early stage of start-ups.
• EDII Gurukul – This has been launched to provide mentoring and networking support to students and professionals who are passionate about starting new ventures.
• Milestone based learning – This has been introduced to enable students to achieve stepping stones in their entrepreneurial journey. The students can undertake this while still pursuing their course at EDII. The Institute also provides seed funding to successful milestone bonus point achievers for setting up new ventures. 
• Industry Verticals - The Program offers a wide choice of industry verticals, during the second and third trimesters, with enriching inputs and insights from industry experts and consultants. Industry Verticals are designed to provide an in-depth understanding of various sectors of students’ interest.

Q: Please give us an overview of your PGDM in Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Venture Development. It sounds like a unique program…
A: This course is aimed at innovative leadership, financial skills for entrepreneurs and business innovation planning. It is AICTE approved two years’ full-time programme to provide necessary knowledge and skills for the development of ideas into sustainable business opportunities.

Program USPs are:

• Course design is in consonance with the start-up revolution in India and globally.
• The course aims to facilitate management of innovation and venture development from foundation to advanced stages.It will enable students to start working on their ideas from the beginning of the course in a structured milestone based framework. 
• The programme will cover the three core elements namely – entrepreneurship as a strategy, fundamentals of setting up a new venture and specific inputs on the process from innovation to startup. It will also help in developingfinancial skills of entrepreneurs and help them in applying their entrepreneurial skills in real life situations.
• For the first time ever, this is a course that combines academic and business incubation expertise to provide a holistic course layout.
• Includes residency learning module as well as venture establishment phase at the Institute’s technology business incubator ‘Centre for Advancing & Launching Enterprises (CrAdLE).

Q. How has COVID 19 impacted your Admission 2020 process?
A: Admissions have certainly got affected because of the pandemic. However, although theprocess isdelayed, we have formed a batch of committed entrepreneurship enthusiasts. The classes and mentoring sessions never stopped at EDII. We have continued through the virtual mode. The faculty members have started to impart the lessons through various online platforms. Structured webinars were also organised for students for their development.

We are starting the new batch by August 17 in the online mode itself. We will conduct classes on campus once we receive the guidelines on the same from the government.

Q. Your message to the candidates seeking admission to EDII?
A: Today, entrepreneurship is being encouraged because only a higher incidence of this discipline will ensure development. However, before a person chooses this as career, like any other discipline, he/she needs to master the nuances. EDII takes care of that learning and exposure. I urge the GenNext to think creative and be innovative. Let me also add that entrepreneurship is a rewarding domain, they just have to keep faith in their abilities and pursue it with the right kind of knowledge, attitude and skills.

Read More about PGDM Admission process and programmes offered by EDII Ahmedabad

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