Over Twenty Percent of Indian College Students Already Run Businesses

More than one in five Indian college students has already started a business, reaching twenty-two percent to nearly match the global average of twenty-three percent. The findings come from the GUESSS India 2025 National Survey Report released by IIT Mandi in partnership with REVA University in Bengaluru.

Survey Scope And Findings

The survey covered 25,783 students from over 1,200 higher education institutions across 34 states and Union Territories. It found that 43% of Indian students want to start a business, which matches the global average. Among those who have launched ventures, 35.5% reported regular sales, compared with 33% globally. More students now plan to start up straight after college, with this share rising from 14.0% in 2023 to 16.2% in 2025. Over the same period, the share wanting a government job fell from 12.7% to 10.1%, and those wanting a job in a large company dropped from 31.3% to 27.4%.

Action And Challenges

About 31% of student businesses with regular sales were founded in 2025 alone, compared with 18% globally. Also, 41% of their founders have closed an earlier business and started again, and 42% run two or more businesses. Dr Puran Singh, Associate Professor at IIT Mandi and Country Delegate for GUESSS India, led the report alongside Prerak Sharma. The report was launched on October 9 and is based on a survey conducted between September and December 2025. Despite this drive, half of Indian students do not know any entrepreneur beyond their parents, and only 10% of students still developing their ventures had made their first sale.

Context

Global university entrepreneurship surveys track how higher education institutions help young founders through mentorship, funding, and campus incubators. These initiatives aim to shift student career goals from job-seeking to job-creation.