Innovation and Entrepreneurship Micro-Course Empowers High School Students in Jammu and Kashmir

The Centre for Research and Development Policy (CRDP), in collaboration with Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), the regional centre of Commonwealth of Learning, has successfully developed a micro-course on innovation and entrepreneurship tailored for high school students. The primary objective of this course is to impart the basics of innovation and entrepreneurship and its types, forms and framework with examples and stories. The course content has been curated considering factors such as the age group and comprehension levels of students from 9 th to 12 th standards.

To gauge the effectiveness of this micro-course, a select group of ten students, comprising both boys and girls from 9 th to 12 th standards, were chosen from ten schools in Srinagar and Budgam districts, representing urban and rural areas. Prioritising interactive learning, the course ran for six months, with classes exclusively conducted on Sundays via the Zoom platform. It featured diverse educational elements, such as lectures, readings, presentations, expert talks, dialogues with start-up founders, and case studies.

The project provided participating students with a comprehensive view of various business opportunities available within Jammu and Kashmir, thereby inspiring them to contemplate entrepreneurship as a viable career path. Upon successful completion of the course modules, the students were taken on a field trip in May 2023. They visited the Rangreth industrial cluster and the National Institute of Technology in Srinagar. During these visits, they had the opportunity to interact with seasoned entrepreneurs and officials, further enriching their understanding of practical applications of innovation and entrepreneurship. All the students were awarded certificates upon successful completion of the course.

The pilot project has garnered enthusiastic responses from schools, students, and subject matter experts alike. Encouraged by its initial success, there are plans to scale it up towards the end of 2023 and the following year.