Jammu: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, called upon the youth to move beyond the traditional mindset of government jobs and embrace entrepreneurship. He made the appeal while inaugurating the two-day National Startup Festival 2025, organized by CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine at Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar.
Dedicating the festival to the youth of Jammu & Kashmir, Dr. Singh emphasized the transformative role of startups in shaping India’s economy. He highlighted the “Purple Revolution”, a groundbreaking initiative in lavender cultivation, which has enabled over 3,000 youth in Jammu & Kashmir to earn substantial incomes through agri-based startups. He urged aspiring entrepreneurs to explore high-value agricultural ventures beyond rural areas, expanding them into urban markets as well.
The Minister underscored India’s position as the third-largest startup ecosystem globally, with over two lakh startups currently operational. He credited the startup boom for boosting economic growth and providing employment, particularly for women and Self-Help Groups (SHGs). He stressed that industry linkages and market research are key to ensuring long-term startup sustainability, encouraging young entrepreneurs to analyze market trends before launching their ventures.
Dr. Singh also spoke about India’s rapidly growing space economy, attributing its success to public-private collaboration. He applauded the contributions of women-led teams in landmark space missions such as Chandrayaan-2 and Aditya L1.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Minister noted how it has revamped India’s education system by promoting digital inclusivity and a level playing field for students. He advised students to dedicate at least 30 minutes daily to learning about government schemes to maximize available opportunities.
Dr. Singh also announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AIIMS, IIIM, IIT, IIM, and GMC Jammu to facilitate integrated research through co-guidance for postgraduate students.
During the festival, Dr. Jitendra Singh visited 45 startup stalls, engaging with young innovators and entrepreneurs. He praised their contributions to India’s startup ecosystem and encouraged them to continue pushing boundaries in innovation.
