Chandigarh, July 22: Vice Chancellors across Punjab have recommended universal expansion of the state’s ‘Business Class’ course to cover all undergraduate programs from the 2026-27 academic session, following strong commercial results achieved in its inaugural year. Originally mandated for B.Com., BBA, B.Tech., B.Voc., ITI, and Polytechnic students, the practical entrepreneurship curriculum will soon encompass Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science cohorts across the state.
The expansion comes as the Bhagwant Singh Mann administration’s ‘Sikhya Kranti’ campaign reported that 20,241 student-founded businesses generated approximately ₹90 crore during the 2025-26 academic calendar. Over 25,000 students successfully established ventures after receiving structured training in market validation, financial planning, customer acquisition, and digital engagement.
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| SECTORAL DISTRIBUTION & OUTREACH |
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| Key Sectors : E-commerce, Food Services, Tech Platforms, |
| Agriculture, Beauty, Professional Services |
| Inaugural Streams : B.Com, BBA, B.Tech, B.Voc, ITI, Poly |
| Upcoming Streams : BA, B.Sc, and all general UG degrees |
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The practical orientation of the program allowed students to address real market needs across diverse fields. Notable examples include Skillexus, a digital career guidance platform created by Sharanveer Singh of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, which attracted over 2.5 lakh users. Similarly, Kamaljeet Singh of Government ITI Patiala launched KML Mushroom to supply local markets, while Sourav from Guru Nanak Dev University generated revenue through a specialized beverage venture, Mock in Matcha.
Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains maintained that integrating practical business creation into higher education ensures the state’s youth can build scalable enterprises that support local economic development.
“Punjab’s focus on entrepreneurship gave students like me the confidence to build. Skillexus is my attempt to turn that mindset into a digital career guidance ecosystem that helps students make informed career choices,” stated Sharanveer Singh, founder of the platform.
By replacing traditional textbook instruction with hands-on enterprise building, the Punjab government continues to align its higher education framework with long-term economic growth and job creation strategies.
