Description:FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENT RULES, 2003
Complete Specification
(See section10 and rule13)

1. Title of the Invention: ASSESSING ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION AMONG ENGINEERING AND NON-ENGINEERING STUDENTS IN COIMBATORE DISTRICT
2.Applicants: -
SR University Warangal, Telangana-506371, India.
Inventors
Name Nationality Address
Ms. Anitha Mani Indian Research Scholar, School of Business, SR University, Warangal, Telangana-506371, India.

Dr. Geetha Manoharan
Indian Research Supervisor, School of Business, SR University, Warangal, Telangana-506371, India.

3. Preamble to the description:
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

4. DESCRIPTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to educational psychology and entrepreneurship studies. Specifically, it involves the assessment of entrepreneurial intention among higher education students. The focus is on comparative analysis between engineering and non-engineering students within Coimbatore district.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Entrepreneurial intention refers to an individual’s conscious state of mind that directs attention and action toward self-employment as opposed to working for others. In recent years, fostering entrepreneurship has become a critical goal for national economic development, especially in emerging economies like India. Coimbatore, a city known for its robust industrial base and educational infrastructure, presents a dynamic setting for exploring the entrepreneurial mindset among students from varied academic backgrounds. Educational institutions in the district are increasingly integrating entrepreneurship development programs into their curriculum, acknowledging that innovation and self-employment are essential for a sustainable future.
Engineering education in India has traditionally focused on technical competence, problem-solving skills, and innovation. These attributes are closely aligned with the entrepreneurial mindset, as entrepreneurs are expected to identify opportunities, apply technical skills, and manage risks. However, the real-world entrepreneurial intention among engineering students can vary significantly due to factors such as risk aversion, lack of business exposure, and societal pressures. On the other hand, non-engineering students from disciplines like commerce, management, and arts often engage more deeply with business theory, market analysis, and strategic planning, which are vital components of entrepreneurial success. Several studies have attempted to measure entrepreneurial intention using theoretical frameworks such as Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior, the Shapero Model of Entrepreneurial Event, and the Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (EIQ). These models highlight factors like attitude toward entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control as key determinants of entrepreneurial intent. Yet, few studies have conducted a focused comparison of these factors across disciplines, particularly in a regional context like Coimbatore, which is a hub for both technical and business education.
Moreover, the sociocultural and economic environment of Coimbatore provides fertile ground for entrepreneurship. With its thriving SME sector, textile and manufacturing industries, and growing start-up ecosystem, the city offers both challenges and opportunities for young aspirants. Hence, assessing how students from engineering and non-engineering streams perceive these opportunities, what motivates them, and what barriers they face can yield actionable insights for educators, policymakers, and incubators. This invention seeks to provide a reliable, data-driven approach to evaluate and compare entrepreneurial intention among diverse student populations. It considers various demographic, psychological, and educational factors to understand the driving forces and limitations influencing students' entrepreneurial aspirations. The ultimate goal is to develop targeted interventions that can foster entrepreneurial spirit across disciplines, ensuring a balanced and inclusive growth in the entrepreneurial landscape of Coimbatore and similar regions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention presents a novel, empirical method for assessing and comparing entrepreneurial intention among engineering and non-engineering students in the Coimbatore district. Using a mixed-method approach grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior and supported by psychometric tools like the Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (EIQ), the invention identifies and analyzes key motivational, demographic, and educational variables influencing students' entrepreneurial aspirations.
The invention is implemented through structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and statistical models such as regression analysis and structural equation modeling to ensure robustness and accuracy. The sample includes final-year undergraduate students from both streams across leading universities and colleges in Coimbatore. Parameters such as entrepreneurial attitude, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, prior exposure to business, and institutional support are measured and analyzed.
Findings of the invention reveal distinct trends engineering students exhibit high levels of innovation potential but lower business confidence, while non-engineering students show greater interest in entrepreneurship education and risk-taking behavior. The invention also highlights the influence of factors like gender, family background, financial literacy, and mentorship availability. Based on these insights, the invention proposes differentiated educational interventions, such as engineering-focused entrepreneurship labs and non-engineering business incubator linkages, to nurture entrepreneurial intention effectively. This invention fills the research gap in understanding discipline-based entrepreneurial tendencies in a regional context and offers scalable recommendations for curriculum development, policy formulation, and start-up ecosystem enhancement. It aids educators and decision-makers in tailoring entrepreneurship programs that align with student needs and potential, fostering a more inclusive and dynamic entrepreneurial future.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig.1: Depicts Flow Diagram for the Proposed Invention.
Fig.2: Depicts the Entrepreneurial Intention.
Fig.3: Depicts to Tailor Entrepreneurship education for diverse student groups.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Entrepreneurial intention is a key psychological construct that reflects an individual’s readiness and willingness to embark on entrepreneurial activities such as starting a new business or developing a start-up. In the context of higher education, particularly in developing economies like India, assessing entrepreneurial intention among students is of paramount importance. It serves not only as an indicator of future entrepreneurial behavior but also as a basis for developing educational strategies and policy interventions. The present invention focuses on evaluating and comparing the entrepreneurial intention between engineering and non-engineering students in the Coimbatore district, a region known for its industrial growth and academic diversity.
The conceptual framework of this invention is grounded in Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which posits that intention is the most immediate predictor of behavior. According to TPB, entrepreneurial intention is influenced by three key components: attitude toward entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Attitude reflects the individual's positive or negative evaluation of entrepreneurship; subjective norms involve perceived social pressure or support from family, peers, and society; perceived behavioral control indicates the individual’s belief in their capability to perform entrepreneurial tasks. These constructs are operationalized through validated psychometric tools like the Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (EIQ), which is adapted and employed in this invention to ensure contextual relevance.
This invention targets final-year undergraduate students from a range of higher education institutions in Coimbatore, covering both engineering disciplines (such as mechanical, computer science, and electronics) and non-engineering fields (such as business administration, commerce, and arts). The invention acknowledges that although both groups are exposed to career-related training and development, their pedagogical experiences, exposure to entrepreneurial activities, and mindset orientations differ significantly. Engineering students are often trained to innovate and solve technical problems but may lack business acumen or risk tolerance, whereas non-engineering students, particularly those in commerce or management streams, might receive more formal education in entrepreneurship, market strategies, and financial management.
To address this gap in understanding, the invention proposes a systematic method for capturing, analyzing, and interpreting the entrepreneurial intention across disciplines using a robust data collection mechanism. The sample includes a diverse cross-section of students drawn from public and private colleges across the Coimbatore district, ensuring representation in terms of gender, socioeconomic status, academic performance, and urban-rural background. The invention integrates both quantitative and qualitative approaches—structured surveys provide numerical data for statistical analysis, while focus group discussions and interviews reveal nuanced insights into students' motivations, fears, and aspirations. The invention considers a range of influencing factors beyond academic stream, such as prior exposure to entrepreneurship, participation in innovation challenges or hackathons, family business background, availability of role models, institutional support in the form of entrepreneurship cells or incubation centers, and access to financial or mentorship resources. These variables are statistically modeled using regression analysis and structural equation modeling techniques to identify direct and indirect predictors of entrepreneurial intention. Moreover, the invention distinguishes between different levels of intention latent interest, serious consideration, and committed planning thereby offering a nuanced view of students’ entrepreneurial journeys.
An important component of this invention is the identification of educational and psychological barriers that impede entrepreneurial development. Engineering students often express concerns about lack of time, risk of failure, insufficient funding, and lack of business mentors, while non-engineering students may worry about lack of technical knowledge or product development skills. These findings are essential for designing stream-specific interventions. For instance, engineering institutions may need to include business simulations and start-up labs within their curriculum, while non-engineering colleges could benefit from more hands-on technical innovation training or partnerships with tech incubators.
The invention also emphasizes the role of institutional culture and leadership in fostering entrepreneurial intention. Colleges that actively promote entrepreneurship through events, guest lectures, workshops, seed funding opportunities, and peer networks tend to produce students with higher entrepreneurial inclination, regardless of academic discipline. By capturing and analyzing institutional practices, the invention provides actionable insights for college administrators to foster entrepreneurship across streams. Furthermore, the invention recognizes the impact of digital transformation, particularly the rise of online start-up platforms, e-commerce, fintech, and AI-based business models, in shaping how students perceive entrepreneurship. Digital readiness and digital literacy are measured as additional variables that influence intention.
Another significant insight of this invention is the gender-based dimension of entrepreneurial intention. Across both engineering and non-engineering cohorts, female students tend to show lower entrepreneurial intention due to societal expectations, family constraints, and limited access to female mentors or networks. However, when exposed to structured entrepreneurship training and mentorship programs, the gap in intention between male and female students narrows. This highlights the importance of gender-inclusive entrepreneurship initiatives, which is another contribution of the invention. By capturing such intersectional data, the invention goes beyond conventional assessments and brings attention to the nuanced social factors that shape students' career aspirations.
This invention also evaluates the alignment between students’ entrepreneurial intention and their actual career plans after graduation. While many students express a desire to become entrepreneurs, they often choose employment in established companies due to financial security, peer pressure, or lack of confidence. The invention explores this gap and identifies strategies to bridge it, such as early-stage venture support, access to start-up funding, collaboration with local industry, and alumni mentoring. The invention proposes that institutions integrate entrepreneurial planning into final-year capstone projects and establish innovation-driven career guidance systems to help students translate intention into action.
The invention's strength lies in its empirical rigor, regional relevance, and scalability. Coimbatore, with its industrial base and academic diversity, provides an ideal microcosm for studying entrepreneurial intention. However, the methodology and framework developed through this invention can be replicated in other districts and regions with similar educational profiles. The invention concludes by offering a comprehensive report that includes key findings, comparative analysis, recommendations for academic institutions, and policy implications. The ultimate goal is to create a research-driven roadmap for fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems in educational settings, one that is inclusive, responsive, and tailored to student needs.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS AND IMPACT
The practical applications of this invention span educational reform, entrepreneurship development, curriculum enhancement, and policy formulation. One of the most immediate uses of the invention is in the design and delivery of entrepreneurship education modules that are discipline-specific. Engineering students can benefit from content focused on technology commercialization, product design, and start-up funding, while non-engineering students may require deeper engagement with market analysis, financial modeling, and digital business strategies. The invention’s data-driven approach allows educational institutions to tailor their teaching and intervention strategies to meet the specific entrepreneurial needs of their students. Another important application is the development of institutional entrepreneurship ecosystems that include pre-incubation support, innovation labs, funding facilitation, mentorship programs, and networking platforms. The invention’s findings can guide college administrators and entrepreneurship cell coordinators in building these resources effectively. For example, engineering colleges in Coimbatore can establish partnerships with local industries to provide real-world product development experience, while non-engineering colleges can link with angel investors or start-up accelerators for hands-on business experience.
The invention also supports policymakers at the district or state level by providing empirical evidence on the entrepreneurial potential of youth in higher education. This can inform funding allocations, regional start-up policies, and incentive programs that encourage student-led innovation. The data generated from this invention can also be integrated into state-level entrepreneurship portals or dashboards, helping stakeholders track trends, measure impact, and plan interventions more effectively. From a social perspective, this invention contributes to the broader national goal of promoting job creators over job seekers. With unemployment among graduates remaining a concern, especially in semi-urban and rural areas, developing an entrepreneurial mindset among youth is essential. The invention offers clear, evidence-based recommendations on how to nurture this mindset, including introducing entrepreneurship at the first-year level, offering interdisciplinary start-up challenges, and providing structured peer support mechanisms.
Another significant impact is the empowerment of underrepresented groups in entrepreneurship, particularly women and economically disadvantaged students. The invention’s data reveals gaps in access, aspiration, and achievement, and provides targeted suggestions for inclusion, such as gender-specific mentoring, flexible funding mechanisms, and culturally sensitive training programs. By highlighting these areas, the invention ensures that entrepreneurship development is equitable and socially responsible. In academic research, the invention adds value by contributing a regional, comparative perspective to the literature on entrepreneurial intention. Most studies either focus on single-discipline groups or national-level aggregates. This invention, by providing a district-level, discipline-sensitive, and empirically validated framework, fills a critical gap and sets the foundation for future studies. It opens pathways for further research on longitudinal tracking of entrepreneurial outcomes, the role of digital tools in shaping intention, and the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education models. This invention offers a comprehensive, contextualized, and actionable methodology for assessing and enhancing entrepreneurial intention among engineering and non-engineering students in the Coimbatore district. It bridges theory with practice, addresses real-world challenges, and promotes inclusive growth. By enabling educators, policymakers, and institutional leaders to act on reliable data, the invention contributes significantly to building a resilient and innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem for the future.

, Claims:We Claim:
1. A method for quantifying entrepreneurial intention using validated psychological constructs among higher education students.
2. A system that categorizes entrepreneurial tendencies based on academic discipline using comparative metrics.
3. A model integrating demographic, educational, and motivational variables to forecast entrepreneurial behavior.
4. A framework for customizing entrepreneurship programs according to discipline-specific student profiles.
5. A statistical toolset for analyzing factors influencing business initiation interest among student populations.
6. An intervention design protocol informed by empirical data to promote entrepreneurial education.
7. A regional assessment system tailored to evaluate and enhance student entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Dated this 11th July 2025