Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with NITI Aayog, launched the Swavalambini Women Entrepreneurship Programme in February 2025 as a pilot project in six Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana. The program aims to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset among female students. The MSDE will assess the feasibility of scaling up the program based on the outcomes of this pilot. Faculty Development Programs, Entrepreneurship Awareness Programs and Entrepreneurship Development Programs are scheduled to commence from August, 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Program Overview:**
* The Swavalambini Women Entrepreneurship Programme is a multistage training program designed to transition young women from ideation to enterprise creation.
* It aims to equip female students with awareness of support mechanisms, schemes, resources, and networks.
* The program is implemented through the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Noida, and the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati.
* **Training Structure:**
* Entrepreneurship Awareness Program (EAP): Introductory program for 1200 female students to create entrepreneurial awareness.
* Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP): Intensive training for 600 selected EAP participants, covering skilling, finance, market linkages, compliance, and business services.
* Mentorship and Handholding: 21 weeks of support to translate ideas into sustainable enterprises.
* **Responsibilities:**
* MSDE: Oversees execution, supervision, and monitoring.
* NITI Aayog: Organizes workshops, provides mentoring, facilitates seed funding, and recognizes entrepreneurs through the Award To Reward (ATR) initiative.
* **Faculty Development:**
* A Faculty Development Programme (FDP) provides five-day training to faculty members from participating HEIs to mentor aspiring women entrepreneurs.
* **Pilot Project Statistics (as of 15.07.2025):**
* FDP: 43 participants trained out of a target of 75.
* EAP: 996 participants trained out of a target of 1200.
* EDP: 139 participants trained out of a target of 600.
* **Future Expansion:**
* Based on the pilot program's outcomes, the Ministry will assess the feasibility of expanding the program to more HEIs and States/UTs.
Impact Analysis:
* **Female Students in HEIs/Universities:**
* *Impact:* Provided with entrepreneurial training, mentorship, and resources to start businesses.
* *Action Required:* Participate in EAP, EDP, and mentorship programs.
* **Faculty Members in HEIs/Universities:**
* *Impact:* Equipped with skills to mentor and guide aspiring women entrepreneurs.
* *Action Required:* Participate in the FDP to gain necessary skills.
* **MSDE:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for overseeing the execution, supervision, and monitoring of the Swavalambini program.
* *Action Required:* Monitor and evaluate the pilot program's progress and plan for potential expansion.
* **NITI Aayog:**
* *Impact:* Serves as the knowledge partner, providing workshops, mentoring, seed funding, and recognition.
* *Action Required:* Organize workshops, provide mentorship, and facilitate funding and awards.
* **NIESBUD and IIE:**
* *Impact:* Implementing agencies for the program.
* *Action Required:* Execute the program as per guidelines and provide necessary training and support.
Key Entities Referenced
Swavalambini Women Entrepreneurship Programme: A program launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in collaboration with NITI Aayog to promote women entrepreneurship.
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE): The Indian government ministry responsible for skill development and entrepreneurship initiatives.
NITI Aayog: National Institution for Transforming India, a policy think tank of the Government of India, acting as a knowledge partner for the Swavalambini program.
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Educational institutions targeted by the Swavalambini program.
Faculty Development Programme (FDP): A training program for faculty members from participating HEIs to equip them with skills to mentor women entrepreneurs.
National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Noida: An autonomous institute of MSDE, involved in implementing the Swavalambini program.
Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati: An autonomous institute of MSDE, involved in implementing the Swavalambini program.
Telangana: One of the states where the pilot project of Swavalambini was launched.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1179
ANSWERED ON 28/07/2025
SWAVALAMBINI WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMME
†1179. SHRI BHOJRAJ NAG:
SMT. HIMADRI SINGH:
SHRI P P CHAUDHARY:
SMT. MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH:
SHRI RADHESHYAM RATHIYA:
SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:
SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM:
SMT. MAHIMA KUMARI MEWAR:
SHRI YOGENDER CHANDOLIA:
SMT. KAMALJEET SEHRAWAT:
SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:
SHRI YADUVEER WADIYAR:
SHRI VISHWESHWAR HEGDE KAGERI:
SMT. SMITA UDAY WAGH:
SHRI BIBHU PRASAD TARAI:
SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:
DR. HEMANG JOSHI:
SHRI GODAM NAGESH:
MS KANGNA RANAUT:
SMT. KAMLESH JANGDE:
SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:
DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA:
SHRI MADHAVANENI RAGHUNANDAN RAO:
SMT. SHOBHANABEN MAHENDRASINH BARAIYA:
SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:
Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be
pleased to state:
(a) the number of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and students targeted under
the Swavalambini Women Entrepreneurship Programme in the country, State/UT-wise,
including Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh particularly in Mandi and
Maharashtra, particularly in tribal dominated areas like Palghar district and Jalgaon Lok
Sabha Constituency;
(b) the manner in which this Faculty Development Programme (FDP) is expected to
contribute to the long-term sustainability of women entrepreneurship mentoring in HEIs
and plan/roadmap to expand this programme to more regions, institutions aspirational
districts, rural belts and urban/underserved areas in future;
(c) the details regarding the provisions for private sector participation, Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) partnership collaboration with industries, Internship and
vocational modules under the said programme;(d) whether the Government proposes to include HEIs located in North East Delhi
under this programme on priority basis, given the need to promote women
entrepreneurship, skilling and innovation in the region and if so, the details thereof;
(e) the details of the steps taken by the Government to ensure the participation of all
States/UTs in this scheme along with the ratio of financial contribution shared between
the Centre and States/UTs; and
(f) whether this scheme is helping to bridge the regional disparities and improving the
Gross Enrolment Ratio and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL
DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) to (f) The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in
collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform of NITI Aayog as knowledge
partner, launched the Swavalambini - a Women Entrepreneurship Programme in
February, 2025 in six Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)/Universities of Assam,
Meghalaya, Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana as a pilot project. The Ministry is
implementing the programme through its Autonomous Institutes, namely, National
Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Noida and
Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati.
The Swavalambini project introduces a structured, multi-stage training approach to help
young women transition from ideation to successful enterprise creation. The Project aims
to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset among female students, equipping them with
awareness of available support mechanisms, schemes, resources and networks
essential for pursuing entrepreneurship as a career.
The target group for the Swavalambini Project includes 1200 female students from
Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) and Universities who will undergo introductory
programme on entrepreneurial awareness through Entrepreneurship
Awareness Programme (EAP). Out of these, 600 students selected from EAP
participants will undergo the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) offering
intensive entrepreneurship development training covering crucial business aspects such
as skilling, access to finance, market linkages, compliance and legal support, business
services and networking opportunities. This will be followed by 21 weeks of mentorship
and handholding support to help participants translate their ideas into sustainable
enterprises.
MSDE will oversee the execution, supervision, and monitoring of the programme, while
NITI Aayog will organize workshops, provide mentoring support, facilitate seed funding,
and recognize successful entrepreneurs through the Award To Reward (ATR) initiative.During the mentoring and handholding support, industry leaders and successful
entrepreneurs will guide the participants by providing mentorship and hands-on support.
Successful entrepreneurs will be invited to share their experiences, highlighting the
challenges they overcame and the strategies they used to establish their businesses.
To ensure long-term impact, the programme also includes a Faculty Development
Programme (FDP), where faculty members from participating HEIs/Universities shall
undergo a five-day training session. This initiative will equip educators with the necessary
skills to mentor and guide aspiring women entrepreneurs within their institutions.
The programme-wise details of participants trained under the pilot project is as under:
Name of the Programme Total Target Total Trained
Faculty Development Programme (FDP) 75 43
Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP) 1200 996
Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) 600 139
The State-wise and programme-wise details of number of participants trained as on
15.07.2025 under the pilot project is as under:
State Name of the Programme
(Total trained)
FDP EAP EDP
Assam 9 -* -*
Meghalaya 8 161 -*
Mizoram 10 244 -*
Uttar Pradesh 13 441 139
Telangana 3 150 -*
Total 43 996 139
*FDP,EAP and EDP are scheduled to commence from August,2025.
Based on the outcomes of the pilot Swavalambini programme, the Ministry will assess
the feasibility of scaling up the Swavalambini Programme to a wider network of HEIs
across more States/UTs with the objective of embedding entrepreneurial knowledge in
higher education, thereby, empowering young women to become job creators and
contribute meaningfully to India’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
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