Devbhoomi Udyamita Yojana (DUY) is a flagship initiative of the Department of Higher Education, Government of Uttarakhand, implemented by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The Yojana aims to foster a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem within the academic landscape of Uttarakhand by integrating entrepreneurship education, capacity building, and institutional support.
Recognizing the critical role that academic campuses play in nurturing entrepreneurial talent, DUY aligns itself with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes the need for outcome-based learning, innovation, and the development of entrepreneurial mindsets among students. To achieve this vision, a shift in traditional teaching pedagogy is essential—moving beyond conventional classroom instruction to experiential learning, innovation-driven thinking, and startup incubation support.
In this context, Devbhoomi Udyamita Yojana organizes an annual one-day Sensitization Workshop, specifically designed for Vice-Chancellors, Principals, Government Officials, and other ecosystem enablers. The objective of this workshop is to build awareness and mobilize institutional leadership to actively support and integrate entrepreneurship development within the academic framework.
The previous year’s sensitization program was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education, in the esteemed presence of the Secretary and Additional Secretary, Higher Education, Government of Uttarakhand, along with the Director General of EDII, Ahmedabad. The event featured a series of expert-led sessions and concluded with a high-level panel discussion on “Building a Climate for Student Entrepreneurship in the State.” Notably, four esteemed Vice-Chancellors chaired various sessions and shared their valuable insights on institutional strategies to promote entrepreneurship among students.
The workshop served as a platform for deliberation, ideation, and consensus-building around the integration of DUY within the broader NEP 2020 framework. Key discussions also focused on how fostering student entrepreneurship could contribute to improving Uttarakhand’s position in national benchmarking platforms such as:
- Startup India State Rankings,
- National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), and
- Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
Going forward, Devbhoomi Udyamita Yojana envisions institutionalizing these sensitization workshops as an annual engagement, ensuring that academic leaders and government stakeholders remain actively involved in shaping and strengthening the entrepreneurship ecosystem. By orienting these changemakers, the Yojana seeks to build a culture of innovation and enterprise that will drive sustainable economic development in Uttarakhand.