Ms. Monica Chawla, the esteemed Principal of St. Joseph’s Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, Chandigarh, has once again demonstrated her commitment to harbouring innovation and entrepreneurship among the youth. She had the honour of being a distinguished delegate at the Residential Bootcamp on ‘Enlightening the Entrepreneurial Spirit,’ a landmark initiative collaboratively organised by the Entrepreneurship & Rural Development Centre (ERDC) and CBSE.
In response to the pressing issue of unemployment in India, the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR), Chandigarh, partnered with Panjab University, Punjab Engineering College, and IIT Ropar in 2019. This collaboration resulted in the establishment of the Entrepreneurship and Rural Development Centre (ERDC), dedicated to nurturing entrepreneurship in social, technical, and rural domains to spur employment and development across urban, rural, and semi-urban areas. The ERDC has been pivotal in building a vibrant start-up ecosystem, linking academia, financial institutions, industries, and other regional entities. By providing robust support to start-ups and entrepreneurs, the ERDC aims to create a network that sustains and accelerates entrepreneurial ventures.
Understanding the crucial role schools play as incubators of creativity and innovation, the ERDC has placed significant emphasis on fostering an entrepreneurial mindset at the school level. This effort includes a six-month entrepreneurship development program and a series of five-day Residential Boot Camps held during the summer vacations of 2023 at IIT Ropar, IIT Jammu, and NIT Uttarakhand. Following this successful initiative, the ERDC continued its mission with the ‘Enlightening the Entrepreneurial Spirit’ Residential Bootcamp scheduled for the summer of 2024. This program targeted students from the 8th standard and above, offering an intensive, immersive experience at Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Punjab, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi and Indian Institute of Technology Jammu. Designed to channel the boundless energy of students into exploring entrepreneurial opportunities, the bootcamp promised a rich array of experiences. Participants engaged with local entrepreneurs and innovators, partook in active learning sessions, and acquired critical entrepreneurial skills and techniques.
Ms. Monica Chawla, known for her visionary leadership, emphasised the importance of such initiatives: “Our goal is to plant the seeds of entrepreneurial thinking in young minds. Programs like this bootcamp provide students with the insights and tools necessary to navigate and excel in the dynamic landscape of entrepreneurship.” The bootcamp offered students from various states a unique platform to network with peers, aspiring entrepreneurs, industry representatives, and officials. Through this residential training, students immersed themselves in an entrepreneurial environment, gaining practical experience and forging connections that will serve them well in their future endeavours.
The objectives of the bootcamp lay in spreading awareness about the entrepreneurial opportunities provided by government initiatives, to act as a catalyst for the emergence of first-generation entrepreneurs, and to identify and nurture young, enthusiastic entrepreneurial minds for future development.
Members of the Management at St. Joseph’s Sr. Sec. School are proud to support such transformative initiatives that ensure the students are well-equipped to contribute to and thrive in the evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem. Ms. Monica Chawla, with her unwavering dedication and exceptional professionalism, proved to be an integral component of the Boot Camp, steering its success with her visionary leadership.
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