Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs identify market problems and build ventures — startups, social enterprises or small businesses — to solve them. In India this path can start from many academic backgrounds and often involves founding a startup, raising early-stage funding, or bootstrapping and scaling operations.
Actions for your grade
- Learn basic finance (profit/loss) and digital skills (Excel, simple websites)
- Participate in business/quiz competitions and local hackathons
- Start a small online business to experience marketing and customers
Your complete path from Grade 10 to Entrepreneur
Every step you need — from now to your first job.
Technical degrees help build product & teams; many founders start while in college or after a few years of industry experience.
- NowScience Stream
- ExamsJEE Main or JEE Advanced or BITSAT
- DegreeB.Tech / BE (4 years) — strong for product & tech startups
- CollegesIIT Bombay · IIT Delhi · BITS Pilani
- CareerEntrepreneur
Commerce and finance training helps with business models, unit economics and bookkeeping; many entrepreneurs pair this with practical sales/customer work.
- NowCommerce Stream
- ExamsCUET UG or CA Foundation
- DegreeB.Com / BBA / CA (3-4 years) — strong for finance-heavy startups
- CollegesShri Ram College of Commerce · St Xavier College Mumbai · Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
- CareerEntrepreneur
Design skills are valuable for consumer products and services; founders often build prototypes and pilot users early.
- NowArts Stream
- ExamsNIFT Entrance or UCEED or NID DAT
- DegreeB.Des / B.Design (4 years) — product, UX and brand-focused ventures
- CollegesNIFT Delhi · NID Ahmedabad · IIT Guwahati
- CareerEntrepreneur
Many founders pursue an MBA to learn scaling, fundraising and networks before starting or to join incubators and accelerators.
- NowAny Stream Stream
- ExamsCAT
- DegreeMBA (2 years) or executive programs — useful for scaling, fundraising and operations
- CollegesIIM Ahmedabad · IIM Bangalore · IIM Calcutta
- CareerEntrepreneur
Entrance exams
| Exam | Eligibility | Difficulty | Window |
|---|---|---|---|
JEE Main NTA | Class 12 PCM | Very Hard | Jan & Apr |
JEE Advanced IIT (rotating) | JEE Main top 2.5L | Very Hard | May |
BITSAT BITS Pilani | Class 12 PCM, 75%+ | Hard | May-Jun |
CUET UG NTA | Class 12 (any stream) | Medium | May-Jun |
NIFT Entrance NIFT | Class 12 (any stream) | Medium | Feb |
UCEED IIT Bombay | Class 12 (any stream) | Hard | Jan |
CAT IIMs | Bachelor's degree 50%+ | Very Hard | Nov |
NID DAT National Institute of Design | Class 12 (any stream) | Hard | Jan (Prelims) + Apr (Mains) |
CA Foundation ICAI | Class 12 pass | Hard | Jun & Dec |
Where to Study
Institutes known to offer this career pathway in India.