FACTORS INFLUENCING INDIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' ENGAGEMENT IN SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Abstract

In the evolving landscape of Indian higher education, there is a growing emphasis on integrating social entrepreneurship education to shape students who are aware of their roles in societal development. This research investigates the motivational dynamics influencing Indian undergraduates' inclination toward social entrepreneurship, an area that has not been extensively studied within the Indian context. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on data collected from 300 undergraduate students across 16 diverse universities in India, employing Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to scrutinize the interplay between various motivational factors and students' engagement in social entrepreneurship. The study's findings reveal a significant positive correlation between students' self-efficacy beliefs and their interest in social entrepreneurship activities, highlighting the critical role of self-efficacy in fostering entrepreneurial intentions. Conversely, the anticipated influence of social support on students' entrepreneurial drive was not corroborated by the data, suggesting that social support may not play a pivotal role in this context. These results offer crucial insights for stakeholders in educational management and policy-making, underscoring the importance of nurturing self-efficacy among students to propel the growth of social entrepreneurship. The study contributes to the broader discourse on enhancing social entrepreneurship education in India, aiming to bolster local economic development and community welfare by equipping students with the necessary skills