Critical Evaluation of Entrepreneurial Tendency in Engineering Graduates

Abstract

Economic growth always contributes to the overall growth and thereby "the happiness index" of a country. In the Indian context, growth rate, whether 7.5 or 8.5 is the current topic of debate and discussion is politicized beyond limits. However, the fact remains that growth rate depends on the business generated and that in turn is operated by entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs (employees who possess entrepreneurial spirit). An entrepreneur creates wealth and subsequently helps the growth of GDP of a nation (India). In the present context, the mantle of entrepreneurship rests on the youth of today. Keeping this in view, a project was undertaken to investigate and evaluate 'their entrepreneurial skills'. For the sake of study, a small section of the youth, engineering graduates is selected. Three hundred students studying in final year engineering belonging to four groups namely Computer group, E group, Civil engineering and Mechanical engineering are focused on 'the basic characteristics such as need for achievement, need for autonomy, creativity, internal locus of control, risk taking, and general enterprising tendency. This paper attempts to identify the extent of entrepreneurial talent among the budding engineers. The ultimate aim is to forecast a number of engineering graduates turning into first generation entrepreneurs.