Keywords

long-term development, Tourism destination, Effective tourism,

Introduction and Betting on Tourism Sector

The tourism sector in India has been considered as one of the most vibrant, comprehensive and all- embracing in nature. We are blessed with almost all the possible geographical terrain and ecological features. Apart from that, we have rich socio-cultural, historic and heritage based assets in our kitty, which are important magnets to attract tourists across the globe. As far as state Rajasthan is concerned, it has distinctions of mountains, hills, rivers, coast-lines, forests, deserts, flora and fauna, wildlife, etc. Rajasthan has craved a unique place for itself on the global tourism map based on its rich history, overwhelming heritage and archaeological masterpieces. Moreover, the varied geographical terrain, cultural diversity, and multiplicity of flora-fauna & wildlife adds many attractive dimensions to the tourism sector of Rajasthan (Adeyemi & Popoola, 2022). These sets up for tremendous opportunities for increasing the share in the global inflow of the foreign tourists.

The tourism sector is hydra-headed in its proclivity and blessed with many strands and layers. There are many advantages- direct and incidental- associated with tourism sector (Akhmetshin et al., 2019). The most important being promoting global peace and mutual understanding apart from proving to be the engine of growth and prosperity at the supra-national level. The Tourism Sector is considered to as best bet for investment and over-all development of the GDP of our economy. The sector has been generally registering a sterling double digit growth since late 1990s. This has opened up the gates to invest in the sector and generate wealth in the long run. Moreover, the sector does not seem to get saturated in the near term (Al Balushi et al., 2023). There is huge scope to develop our infrastructure and related services pertaining to the hospitality sector. Also, there are many tourist destinations which are remote and under-developed. This extends an excellent avenue to invest and reap the benefits of first mover advantage in the long horizon. The sector enjoys an unique advantage of forward and backward linkages, along with the capability to generate comparatively more direct and indirect jobs for the per unit of the capital invested in it (Amaquandoh et al., 2023). The current research will bring some valuable suggestions for the effective implementation of the schemes and overall development of tourism in Rajasthan.

Possibilities for Rajasthan: Schemes and Programmes

Decades ago, Rajasthan tourism industry was miniature with a puny contribution to state economy, employment and numbers of tourists that too confined primarily to Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur( basically elite foreign tourists) and to Ajmer, Pushkar and Nathdwara (domestic pilgrim tourists). However, gradually with the rigorous and continuous efforts of Rajasthan government through proper implementation of various schemes framed from time to time; tourism has grown potentially and shifted its phenomenon from elite and pilgrim tourism to mass phenomenon (Anwar, 2020). Now people have wider easel of enchantment, spots and ease of accessing those location which was a dream few years ago. Government has tried to exploit new opportunities available in Rajasthan; thereby shifting the perception of tourist taking state granted only for desert, heritage and pilgrim tourism. Highlighting the long term outlook of UNWTO “international tourists arrivals worldwide are expected to increase by 3.3% a year between 2010 and 2030 to reach 1.8 billion by 2030” (Basu, 2004). Rajasthan government is also working hard towards gauging attention of international tourists; thereby government has initiated new reforms to utilize the full potential of the domestic tourism. In July 2021, Government has allocated 500 crore to tourism sector for its revival. New dimensions for the improvement in tourism sector are being explored likewise mobile application of tourism department, establishment of tourism assistance force, working on betterment of infrastructure facilities, assistance to tourism sector, projects and involvement of human resources, exploring new areas and heritage, meeting the specific need of tourists (niche), eco and sustainable tourism and recently it is working on adventure tourisms (Bell, 2015).

The government of Rajasthan has taken various initiatives in order to take Rajasthan to its rightful position on the global and national tourism charts. Some of these schemes Table 1.

Table 1 Rajasthan- Initiatives Taken in Tourism Sector
S.No	Initiative	Components	Key Focus/ Possibilities
1	Public Private Partnership (PPP)	Synergizing Strengths	Rajasthan Infrastructure Project Development Fund" (RIPDF): For the Development of credible PPP projects
		Promotional Activities	Viability Gap Funding Scheme
		Investments-Infrastructural Development	Already Notified for Social Sector Schemes
		Transportation	Engagement with Project Development Company of Rajasthan (PDCOR)
		Cruise Ships
		Aircrafts
		Green Investments- Solar Power
		Repair, Maintenance & Restoration
		Forts
		Lakes
		Adopt a Monument Scheme
2	Tourism Unit Policy	2001	Optimal Utilisation and Preservation of Tourism Resources with focus on Rural Tourism and making it People’s Industry.
			Pilgrimage Tourism- For Developing Inter-Cultural Appreciativeness
		2007	Developing Hotel Industry (especially Star Category) through concessions in criteria like FAR, Land Conversion Charges, Stamp Duty, Remission of Luxury Taxes, Regularisation of Properties
		2015	Scaling up of Tourists inflow (Domestic & International) through Infrastructural Advancements
			Appreciation to Suraj Sankalp Ideology
			Extending all benefits to Tourism Sector pertaining to Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme (RIPS-2014)
			Benefits of Employment Linked Skill Training Program (ELSTP) under Rajasthan Skill and Livelihoods Development Corporation (RSLDC)
			Proposal for setting up of TourismAdvisory Committee
		2020	Focus- Historical, Natural & Cultural Heritage
			Promotion of Film Tourism, Religious Tourism, MICE, Ecotourism & Tribal tourism
			Scaling up Livelihood Opportunities in Rural Areas
			Single Window Clearance- Online Mode
			Leveraging upon Swadesh Darshan Scheme
3	Tourism Publicity and Marketing	Branding of Tourist Destinations Marketing	Focus- International Marketing through niche Cultural events
			Realignment of Traditional Festivals and Fairs
		Location	Preservation & Promotion of Native Heritage
		Activity	Attracting International Writers, Bloggers & Journalist to have first-hand experience
		Corporate
		Luxury Trains
		Palace on Wheels
		Wildlife Sanctuaries
		1993	Padharo Mahare Desh
		2008	'Colourful Rajasthan'
		2016	'Jaane Kya Dikh Jaye'
4	New Avtar- Rajasthan Tourism- 3.0	Tourist Police, G2G Partnership, Infrastructural Development (especially Integrated Road System), Sanitation & Cleanliness	To attract 3 million foreign and domestic tourists
			Destination Specific Initiatives
			Aggression in Marketing Strategies
			PPP- Public Private Partnership
5	Tourist Infrastructure	Information, Transportation & Communication Infrastructure, Physical Infrastructure, Utility Deliveries, Supporting Gears & Equipment- Sports, Cosmetics Photography & Medicines	Tax Holidays
			Tax Exemptions
			FDI- Automatic Route
6	National and International Events	MoU: GoR & UNESCO	Development of Cultural Hubs- 10
		Heritage Programme with WB & National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)	Capacity Building at Local Levels
		Co-operation with Japanese Government	Multi-level Strategy- Revitalisation of Historic Cities & Towns in an Inclusive Manner
		Rajasthan Road Shows- USA and Indian Southern States	Participative Heritage Management
		Great India Travel Bazar in association with FICCI	Culturally and Historically significant Destinations
		Tie up with other countries- Brazil & Singapore
		Travel Fairs in other Indian States
7	Tourist Circuits	Krishna Circuit	Developing & Connecting the places pertaining to the Lord Krishna’s Legends
		Desert Circuit	Desert Regions- Jodhpur, Jaiselmer, Bikaner & Barmer
		Spiritual Circuit	Locations of Mythological Importance to various Religions- Hindu, Buddhist, Jains
		Heritage Circuit	Connecting the places having Historical Rich Heritage
		Eco-tourism Circuit	Connecting Wildlife Sanctuaries, Tiger Reserves & Parks
		Tribal Tourism	Banswara, Dungarpur, PratapgarhSirohi
8	Environmentally Friendly Tourism	Sustainable & Inclusive Tourism Principles & Practices	Alternative to Hyper Commercialised & Mass Tourism
		Minimising the adverse impact on the Ecology	Improving Well-being of the Local Communities
		Resilience & Adaptability Community Drives Tourism
			Public Private Partnership
9	Agri-Tourism	Dimensions: Rural Tourism, Farm Activities & Commercial Consideration	Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM)
			Exploring Possibilities of Olive Cultivation
10	Fairs and Festivals	Rajasthani Kabir Yatra	Desert Triangle, Golden Triangle, Rajasthan Package, Wildlife Package and Mewar Tour
		World Music Festival- Udaipur	historical and pilgrimage places
		Abhaneri Festival, Holi of Braj	Providing Array of Options to the Tourists in terms of:
		Bundi Festival, Camel Festival
		Desert Festival, Gangaur Festival, Summer Festival,Jaipur Literature Festival, Teej Festival, Kite Festival- Jaipur, Mewar Festival, Urs Festival, Marwar Festival, Dussehra, Matsya Festival, Khumbhalgarh Festival, Ranakpur Festival, Baneshwar Festival, Pushkar Fair, Nagaur Fair.
11	Inbound Tourism	Easing Immigration Procedures
		Information Availability- Secure & Reliable	Location
		Infrastructural Amenities	Activities
		Safety & Security	Circuits
		Competitive Offerings	Fairs & Festivals
			Constitution of Tourism Advisory Committee
			Advertising- Publicity & Promotion
			Fulfilling & Spiritually Satisfying Experience
12	Religious Tourism	Pilgrimage
		PRASAD- 2015	Religious Tourism Networks- Hindu, Jain, Sufi & Buddhist
		Swadesh Darshan
		HRIDAY
13	Other Notable Initiatives	Infrastructure Development	Circuit Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
		Conservation and Restoration	Gagron Fort, Jhalawar
		Integrated Development	Matsay Circuit
		Mega Desert Tourist Circuit	Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Pali, Mount Abu and Sambhar

Research Gap

In the process of undertaking the in-depth study about the various aspects of tourism, especially in the context of state of Rajasthan, it was experienced that tourism sector has been major contributor to the exchequer of the government and one of the sun-shine sector for Rajasthan in particular and for India in general. A substantial amount of research work has already been done on the tourism sector at pan-India level. However, when it comes to the state of Rajasthan and more so, in reference to the expenditure on various schemes and their impact on tourist inflows and on revenue generation by the state, there is still a lot to be done (Choo, 2021). Various studies have already been done on the per unit of money expended by tourists and its impact on the economy but, whether these schemes are really benefitting the functionaries of the sector i.e. tour operators. Whether the operators are satisfied with the schemes of the government? Factoring in the above facts, the researcher had decided to embark on the present research study with the intention to identify, establish and measure the relationship, if any, between the expenditure on tourism sector related schemes and on tourists inflow & revenue generation from the same.

Research Methodology

Through the process of review of existing literature, discussion with academician, experts and players involved, collection of data and subsequent analysis of the same; effort is being made to understand the various factors, patterns and future possibilities lying in the tourism sector. The secondary data was collected in order to understand and establish relationship between the underlying variables- the GoR expenditure on tourism sector related schemes and its impact on tourist’s inflow and on the government fiscal health. Moreover, the pattern of the movement in these variables over the period of last five years (2015-2020) was analyzed in a comprehensive manner and the correlation between the variables under consideration was evaluated. After, Visits and elaborated discussions held with officials of ministry of tourism, Rajasthan, functionaries of the schemes etc. three structured questionnaires were finalized (Egan et al., 2017). The primary data was collected from the various participants operating in the tourism sector- Hoteliers, Tour Operators, Travel Agencies, Guides etc. and the tourists who have visited the tourist destinations based in Rajasthan. One questionnaire to know level of awareness of schemes among tourist second for the tour operators (functionaries) to know their opinion about the schemes and finally questionnaire about the opinion/ perception of the tourists about the schemes.

Research Objectives

The researcher had set herself up with following objectives for the given research endeavor:

• To review the major expenditure by the Government of Rajasthan on different tourism schemes.

• To gauge the impact of the selected expenditures by the Government of Rajasthan (GoR) on revenue generation capacity of the tourism sector.

• To examine the level of awareness of these efforts/ schemes by the Government of Rajasthan among the general populace.

• To examine the level of satisfaction among tourists and functionaries of the schemes.

Cost Effectiveness

Cost effectiveness is the level to which a thing is desirable, economical or productive as compared to the cost. It is a systematic and schematic slant that involves the analysis of the cost attached with a thing and the benefits accrued to the same. As it turn out to be, if a thing is labelled as cost-effective it means that it is worth paying for it as the benefits would outshine the cost attached with the same (Feder & Nitu-Antonie, 2017). The concept is critically important when it comes to evaluation of a policy, decision or project in relation to the society at large. When it comes to a government policy, the cost-effectiveness analysis helps in gauging the overall desirability and suitability of a policy for the concerned population. It also involves the evaluation of the sustainability and relevance of a policy, programme or any other intervention. As effectiveness is not just about undertaking a comparison between the cost incurred and the benefits accrued from the same. The researcher has tried to cover the broad aspect of cost effectiveness by taking opinion of both tourists and tour operators through questionnaire (Gorji & Simarasl, 2023).

Perspective of Tourists and Tour Operator on Scheme of the Government

Tourists and Tour Operators are the ultimate users of the scheme. Schemes are generally framed without involvement of executors thus their feeling about the schemes will ultimately determine their engagement and proper implementation of the schemes. The research is based on interviews of 223 tourists from the state both international and national covered under the scheme and 66 tour operators to solicit their opinion and benefits arousing from the schemes. Their responses have been analyzed in two broad categories of awareness of tourists about the scheme, effects of these schemes from the perspectives of tour operators and tourists about the schemes (Hartanto et al., 2017).

Awareness of Tourists: The efforts taken by the government in terms of providing effective and efficient service delivery through help desks provision and Tourist Help Force has been noticed by the tourists and supported the same empathetically. The mean score of 2.7 indicates the efforts of the government in creating awareness have been reaching to the tourists and tourists operators (Hartono, 2021). A mean score of 2.5 is a strong level of support to the claim that a lot has been done in last decade to develop the tourism sector in Rajasthan. A mean score of 2.4 specifies the solid support by the respondents towards the awareness campaign in disseminating information about the tourist attractions located in Rajasthan. From the table and figure, it is apparent that a high percentage of the respondents are neutral in terms of their opinion about the efforts made by the government to promote Niche Tourism. The below table clarifies that there is certainly an awareness about the scheme among the tourists Figure 1.

Perception of Tour Operators: The Mean score of first two questions is 2.7 however indicates a positively support to the claims that both investment and inflow of tourists has increased but it is not a strong one and the government need to keep allocating the budget in an incremental basis after factoring in the inflows of the tourist on year on year basis (Ignacio et al., 2023). The mean score of 2.9 which is very close to 3, of the last three questions supported the claim but it is too close to be comfortable. The mean score of 2.9%, although vouches for acceptance of the claim but at the time leaves a lot to be desired and an unsatisfaction among the functionaries of the schemes. The government needs to scale up the efforts to exploit the opportunities available in the domain through proper and innovative means Figure 2.

Hypothesis

H_o: The efforts/scheme taken by the Government of Rajasthan to promote tourism has no impact on the tourist inflow

H₁: The efforts/scheme taken by the Government of Rajasthan to promote tourism has impact on the tourist inflow

To investigate if the efforts put by the government in the form of expenditure done on various scheme has any impact on the government exchequers. Tourism is a multi-dimensional activity which involves numerous activities as such it is difficult to measure exactly revenue from these varied activities. Although there is no direct revenue, but still it can be measured from the indirect relation with the number of tourists visited by Rajasthan (Ismail et al., 2019). The number of tourists visit state, the more activities involved, the more revenue increases. The testing the hypothesis two variables are taken. The first one is expenditure of the Government of Rajasthan on Major schemes pertaining to the tourism sector in Rajasthan. Secondly, of gauging the impact of the same of the government exchequer the arrival of the tourists in Rajasthan- Domestic and Foreigner- during the given period has been selected for this purpose. The table 2 below presents the summary of the expenditure by the government on major schemes and tourist arrivals in Rajasthan (Ko, 2008).

Table 2 Summary of the Expenditure by the Government on Major Schemes and Tourist Arrivals in Rajasthan
Particulars	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21
Major Schemes
Tourism Publicity & Awareness	61.71	81.13	120.34	65.83	25.31	6.05
Development & Conservation of Tourist Places	30.69	13.97	27	21.68	4.83	1.76
Development of Rural Tourist Spots	20.5	12.77	3.92	3.27	0.53	1.52
Lighting of Monuments	0.25	0.1	0.46	0.042	0.0399	0.015
Communication & Information Projects	0.5	0.28	0.79	0.2	0.164	0.04
Grant to Rajasthan Fair Authority	0.36	0.6	0.95	0.8	0.625	0.57
Loan to Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation	8	0	0	11.5	0	15
Tourist Help Force					2.09	1.93
Expenditure on Major schemes	122.01	108.85	153.46	103.322	33.5889	26.885
Total Actual expenditure by GoR	128.66	113.93	155.92	105.43	47.41	34.44
In percentage Terms	94.80%	94.80%	98.42%	98.00%	70.84%	78.06%
Tourists Arrival in Rajasthan
Domestic tourists	3.51	4.14	4.59	5.02	5.22	1.51
foreign tourists	0.147	0.151	0.16	0.175	0.16	0.04
Total	3.657	4.291	4.75	5.195	5.38	1.55

Objectives of the Study

• To investigate the students' inclination towards entrepreneurship.

• To analyze the connection between the inclination towards entrepreneurship and the role of the university in fostering entrepreneurship.

• To examine the correlation between the inclination towards entrepreneurship and Simulation & Industry Interaction Programs.

• To assess the relationship between the inclination towards entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial learning & training.

• To scrutinize the association between the inclination towards entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship influencers.

• To explore the connection between the inclination towards entrepreneurship and the family occupations and characteristics of individuals.

Hypothesis of the Study

H₁: Entrepreneurial proclivity among the students is likely to be high when university encourages entrepreneurship.

H₂: Entrepreneurial proclivity among the students is likely to be high when university develops effective learning and training programmes for students.

H₃: Role models influence the entrepreneurial proclivity among students.

H₄: The simulation and industry interaction programmes conducted by the university enhance entrepreneurial proclivity among the students.

H₅: The relationship between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial proclivity is stronger for: gender, programmers of study, father’s occupation, and mother’s occupation.

Methodology

To assess entrepreneurial inclination among undergraduate students in colleges under the University of Delhi, the present study utilized a questionnaire distributed randomly via Google Form. The study focused on colleges offering Commerce, Vocational, and Management courses. There are 91colleges under University of Delhi. Around 71,000 students take admissions in First Year of Courses each year in these colleges (The Economic Times, 2023). There are few specialised colleges that run specific courses only. Most of the colleges run general courses. A sample size of 972 students from twelve randomly selected colleges within the University of Delhi, studying courses such as Commerce, Management, Economics, Vocational, and Arts, was chosen. All the collected responses were deemed suitable for inclusion in the study. The questionnaire encompassed various aspects, including the general profile of respondents, attitudes toward entrepreneurship, factors influencing entrepreneurship, learning, and training experiences at colleges, and participation in simulation and industry interaction programs. Students were requested to provide self-ratings on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree for each statement (Lambert & Wall, 2021). Demographic information, such as age, gender, courses pursued, occupation of parents, and the names of colleges attended, was also included in the questionnaire. Following data compilation, factor analysis using the Principal Component Method was conducted in SPSS, extracting seven fixed variables based on factor loadings and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy, which was found to be 0.901. Additionally, Bartlett's Test of Sphericity (p=0.000< 0.05) indicated that the sample size and variables were sufficient for testing and establishing relationships. The data were analysed using SPSS through techniques such as Factor Analysis, ANOVA, Correlation, and Regression Analysis (Liao et al., 2022).

Analysis and Interpretation

Respondents Profile

Out of 972 respondents, 65% were male students, while 35% were female students. The majority of the students, constituting 78%, fell within the 18-20 years age group. The prevalent courses pursued by students were B. Com., B.A. (Vocational Studies), and B. Com. (H). The occupations of most students' fathers were in services and businesses. In contrast, the occupations of their mothers were predominantly in non-services, non-business, and non-agricultural sectors (Mukesh et al., 2018).

Factor Analysis

Factor analysis was used to reduce and grouping of the statements for the following dependent and independent variables.

• The Entrepreneurial learning and Training (EL&T)

• Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP)

• The Entrepreneurial Proclivity (EP)

• Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU)

• Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI)

• Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP)

• Entrepreneurship Hurdle (EH)

The Principal Component Method with Varimax Rotation has been employed to finalize questions for the study, selecting those with factor loadings exceeding 0.5. Following the application of the Principal Component Method with Varimax Rotation on the collected responses, the study identified 9 items in Entrepreneurial Learnings and Training (EL&T), 7 items in Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP), 5 items in Entrepreneurship Proclivity (EP), 4 items in Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU), 4 items in Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI), 4 items in Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP), and 3 items loaded in Entrepreneurship Hurdle (EH) with factor loadings above 0.5 (Natsvlishvili et al., 2023). Summarized results are presented in KMO and Bartlett’s Test Table 3 and Factor Loadings Table 4.

Table 3 KMO and Bartlett's Test
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy		0.901
Bartlett's Test of Sphericity	Approx. Chi-Square	8405.569
	df	1485
	Sig.	0

Table 4 Factor Loadings for Key Variables
Main Variables and Questions	Communalities Extraction	Factor Loadings
The Entrepreneurial Learnings and Training (EL&T)
The entrepreneurial learning and training (EL&T) enhanced entrepreneurial knowledge and skills.	0.696	0.769
The entrepreneurial learning and training provided a unique experience.	0.668	0.769
The entrepreneurial learning and training gave experience of learn by doing.	0.669	0.759
The teachers created interest in entrepreneurship through the learning and training.	0.678	0.73
The entrepreneurial learning and training taught to deal with uncertainties in the real world.	0.609	0.726
The teachers through learning and training made the course relevant to the real business world.	0.607	0.703
The entrepreneurial learning and training created interest towards entrepreneurship.	0.607	0.674
The entrepreneurial learning and training made a better understanding about business.	0.553	0.633
The teachers with their experiences and competencies made teaching and training more fruitful.	0.552	0.617
Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP)
Industry internship programmes developed my job-related skills.	0.749	0.782
S&IIP developed an ability to plan and organise my routine work.	0.691	0.746
S&IIP helped me in creating new business ideas.	0.685	0.737
S&IIP developed my problem-solving skills.	0.709	0.73
Entrepreneurship internship programmes game me real business training that are generally not found in classes.	0.519	0.702
Industry interaction and entrepreneurship internship programmes develop my communication skills.	0.608	0.698
S&IIP makes me confident to tackle problems easily.	0.583	0.674
Entrepreneurship Proclivity (EP)
Being entrepreneurship an honourable profession, I honour those who are entrepreneurs.	0.685	0.793
I admire those who run their business successfully.	0.65	0.79
I will setup my startup one day.	0.591	0.624
Being entrepreneurship a job creator, I would become a job creator.	0.364	0.559
I consider entrepreneurship strongly as a career option.	0.605	0.535
Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU)
University encourages the students to pursue entrepreneurship ventures.	0.551	0.681
Entrepreneurial case studies are often discussed in the classroom.	0.545	0.677
We can think of starting a business while studying in the university.	0.613	0.621
Frequent entrepreneurship and business programmes motivate students to start their businesses.	0.586	0.538
Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI)
As my friends are in business, so I am also interested in business.	0.522	0.651
With their business ideas, people encourage me to pursue their own business ideas.	0.468	0.568
I find my peer group as a source of information for business matters.	0.505	0.552
My peer group feels that I should become self-employed.	0.466	0.541
Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP)
I did not learn from entrepreneurship development programmes.	0.538	0.697
Industry interaction programmes did not add into my business knowledge.	0.542	0.694
While internship programmes I treated as a cheap labour.	0.496	0.688
I do not owe those courses that require students to learn by doing.	0.388	0.566
Entrepreneurship Hurdle (EH)
I have not thought of entrepreneurship as a career option.	0.535	0.642
There is always a threat of failure in self-employment; the chances of failure are very high.	0.345	0.568
Rather starting a small firm, I would prefer to join a big corporate house.	0.354	0.526

Analysis of Correlation Matrix

Table 5 provides the means, standard deviations, and matrix correlations among Entrepreneurial Proclivity (EP), Entrepreneurship Learning and Training (EL&T), Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP), Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU), Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI), Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP), and Entrepreneurship Hurdle (EH) (Naz et al., 2014).

Table 5 Means, Standard Deviation and Matrix Correlations
	Mean	S.D.		EP	EL&T	S&IIP	PEU	EI	SoS&IIP	EH
Entrepreneurship Proclivity (EP)	3.7827	0.63554	Pearson Correlation	1
			Sig. (2-tailed)
The Entrepreneurial Learnings and Training	3.3093	0.90703	Pearson Correlation	.265**	1
(EL&T)			Sig. (2-tailed)	0
Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP)	3.5141	0.88227	Pearson Correlation	.334**	.542**	1
			Sig. (2-tailed)	0	0
Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU)	3.544	0.88076	Pearson Correlation	.308**	.584**	.441**	1
			Sig. (2-tailed)	0	0	0
Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI)	2.909	0.90695	Pearson Correlation	.143*	.418**	.225**	.343**	1
			Sig. (2-tailed)	0.01	0	0	0
Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP)	2.5316	0.8413	Pearson Correlation	-0.079	-0.044	-.213**	-0.054	.178**	1
			Sig. (2-tailed)	0.154	0.433	0	0.329	0.001
Entrepreneurship Hurdle (EH)	2.7706	0.88513	Pearson Correlation	.178**	0.037	0.005	0.049	0.089	0.097	1
			Sig. (2-tailed)	0.001	0.51	0.928	0.382	0.109	0.081
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).

Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP), Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU) and Entrepreneurship Learnings and Training (EL&T) are highly correlated with Entrepreneurial Proclivity (EP). There correlation is significant at 0.01 level. Entrepreneurship Hurdle (EH) also demonstrates a positive relationship with entrepreneurial proclivity and this correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (Nazareno et al., 2021). Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI) shows a correlation at the 0.05 level. Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP) displays a negative correlation and is statistically insignificant. There is a negative and significant correlation between Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP) and Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP). Interestingly, based on the correlation matrix, all scales exhibit a statistically significant correlation with entrepreneurial proclivity, except Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP) (Ndou et al., 2022).

Analysis of ANOVA – One Way

Entrepreneurship Proclivity (EP) among the students significantly differs across courses pursued (F= 2.045; p=.049), but not across the occupation of the father (F = 1.156; p = .327) Table 6.

Table 6 Combined Anova Table
Entrepreneurial Proclivity		Percent	F	Sig.	Hypothesis
Gender	Male	65	0.277	0.599	Not supported
	Female	35
Father’s	Services	33	1.156	0.327	Supported
Occupation	Business	37
	Agriculture	9
	Others	21
Mother’s Occupation	Services	11	0.769	0.512	Not supported
	Business	5
	Agriculture	1
	Others	83
Age	< 17	14	0.201	0.896	Not supported
	18-20	78
	21-23	7
	24-26	1
	> 27	0
Courses	B. Com (H)	16	2.045	0.049	Supported
Pursuing	BMS	4
	B. Com.	47
	B.A.(VS)	18
	BBE	1
	B.A.(H) Economics	1
	B.A.	11
	Others	2

The entrepreneurship proclivity among students does not differ across gender of the students (F= .277, p = .599), occupation of the mother (F=.769; p=.512), and age of the students (F= .201; p= .896).

Linear Regression Analysis

Linear regression analysis (Enter Method) was employed to analyze the relationship between the dependent variable, Entrepreneurship Proclivity (EP), and independent variables: Entrepreneurship Learning and Training (EL&T), Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP), Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU), and Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI) Table 7 (Nestorenko et al., 2022).

Table 7 Variables Entered/Removeda
Model	Variables Entered		Variables Removed	Method
1	S&IIP, EP, PEU, EL&Tb			Enter
a. Dependent Variable: EP
b. All requested variables entered.

Table 8 Model Summary reveals that the R² coefficient value is 0.145; thus, approximately 15% of the variance in entrepreneurship proclivity among undergraduate students of the University of Delhi can be predicted by Entrepreneurial Learning and Training (EL&T), Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP), Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU), and Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI) (Nguyen et al., 2023).

Table 8 Model Summary
Model	R	R Square	Adjusted R Square	Std. Error of the Estimate
1	.380a	0.145	0.134	0.59149
a. Predictors: (Constant), S&IIP, EI, PEU, EL&T

The Table 9 ANOVA^a analysis shows that at 0.05 significant level, p value is 0.000 which is less than 0.05 and F is 13.476. Therefore, the model is deemed useful for studying the prediction between Entrepreneurial Proclivity (EP) and Entrepreneurial learning and Training (EL&T), Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP), Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU), and Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI) amongst the undergraduate students of University of Delhi (Ojha, 2018).

Table 9 Anovaa
Model	Sum of Squares	df	Mean Square	F	Sig.
Regression	18.859	4	4.715	13.476	.000b
Residual	111.605	319	0.35
Total	130.463	323
a. Dependent Variable: EP
b. Predictors: (Constant), S&IIP, EI, PEU, EL&T

Table 10 Coefficientsa reveals the changes in every unit of independent variables and its impact on the dependent variable. In Entrepreneurship Learning and Training (EL&T) the (p= 0.778> 0.05; β= 0.020; t value =0282) and in Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI) the (p=.769 > 0.05; β= .294; t value= .294). These two variables have no significant bearing on entrepreneurship proclivity. Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU) with ((p=0.005<0.05; β=0.186; t value =2.839) and Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP) with (p=0.000<0.05; β=0.238; t value=3.790) have significance in entrepreneurial proclivity (Olokundun et al., 2017).

Table 10 Coefficientsa
Model	Unstandardized Coefficients		Standardized Coefficients	t	Sig.	Hypothesis
	B	Std. Error	Beta
(Constant)	2.624	0.169		15.545	0
EL&T	0.014	0.05	0.02	0.282	0.778	H2 Not Supported
PEU	0.134	0.047	0.186	2.839	0.005	H1 Supported
EI	0.012	0.04	0.017	0.294	0.769	H3 Not Supported
S&IIP	0.171	0.045	0.238	3.79	0	H4 Supported
a. Dependent Variable: EP

Discussion and Implications

Entrepreneurship has become pivotal for boosting the economic growth of a country, and both the central and state governments have been actively promoting entrepreneurship. The youth of the nation can play a crucial role in shaping the economy, and it is essential to train and motivate young minds for entrepreneurship. Drawing their focus towards entrepreneurship is vital. The University of Delhi, being one of the premier universities in the country, attracts students from different parts of the nation (Premand et al., 2016). In the present study, an attempt has been made to assess the entrepreneurial proclivity of undergraduate students pursuing commerce, vocational, economics, and management courses. Inclination towards entrepreneurship can be developed through effective learning and training. The university can play a significant role in fostering entrepreneurial inclination by incorporating entrepreneurial pedagogy and training into its programs. Entrepreneurship internship programs provided by the university offer practical experience to the students. Teachers and peer groups can serve as motivational forces, encouraging students to set up their enterprises. Successful entrepreneurs, whom the students admire, could serve as role models in this regard (Raju et al., 2023).

Entrepreneurship has become pivotal for boosting the economic growth of a country, with both the central and state governments actively promoting entrepreneurial initiatives. The youth of the nation can play a crucial role in shaping the economy, and it is essential to train and motivate young minds for entrepreneurship, drawing their focus towards this field. The University of Delhi, being one of the premier universities in the country, attracts students from different parts of the nation (Sharif et al., 2019). In the present study, an attempt has been made to assess the entrepreneurial proclivity of undergraduate students pursuing commerce, vocational, economics, and management courses at the University of Delhi. Inclination towards entrepreneurship can be developed through effective learning and training. The university can play a significant role in fostering entrepreneurial inclination by incorporating entrepreneurial pedagogy and training into its programs. Entrepreneurship internship programs provided by the university offer practical experience to the students. Teachers and peer groups can serve as motivational forces, encouraging students to set up their enterprises. Successful entrepreneurs, whom the students admire, could serve as role models in this regard (Tarling et al., 2016).

In the present study, seven constructs and their various variables were identified after applying the Principal Component Method with Varimax Rotation. Nine items were loaded in Entrepreneurial Learnings and Training (EL&T), seven items in Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP), five items in Entrepreneurship Proclivity (EP), four items in Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU), four items in Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI), four items in Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP), and three items were loaded in Entrepreneurship Hurdle (EH), all with factor loadings above 0.5 (Torres-Barreto et al., 2020).

The extracted components and variables from the study were further tested through correlation and regression models. Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP), Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU), and Entrepreneurial Learnings and Training (EL&T) exhibited high correlations with Entrepreneurial Proclivity (EP), with significance at the 0.01 level. Entrepreneurship Hurdle (EH) also showed a positive relation with entrepreneurial proclivity, significant at the 0.01 level (Tun Hamiruzzaman et al., 2020). Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI) demonstrated a correlation at the 0.05 level. Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP) exhibited a negative correlation and was found to be insignificant. Both Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (S&IIP) and Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP) displayed negative correlations, and this relationship was found to be significant. Interestingly, from the correlation matrix, all scales showed a statistically significant correlation with entrepreneurial proclivity, except for Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP) (Van der Kuip & Verheul,2004).

Entrepreneurship Proclivity (EP) among students significantly differs across the occupation of the father and courses pursued. However, entrepreneurship proclivity among students does not differ across gender, occupation of the mother, and age of the students. The study further indicates that 15% of the variance can be predicted by Entrepreneurial Learning and Training (EL&T), Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (S&IIP), Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU), and Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI) in entrepreneurship proclivity among undergraduate students at the University of Delhi (Venkataraman, 2004). However, coefficient results reveal that Entrepreneurship Learning and Training (EL&T) and Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI) do not have a significant impact on entrepreneurship proclivity. On the other hand, Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU) and Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIP) show a significant influence on entrepreneurial proclivity. Additionally, Entrepreneurship Proclivity (EP) among students significantly differs across the occupation of the father and courses pursued, while in all other cases, no significant differences were found (Walia, 2023).

Conclusion

The study primarily aimed to assess entrepreneurial proclivity among undergraduate students at the University of Delhi. Entrepreneurial inclination can be self-motivated or influenced by institutions, learning and training, parents' occupation, as well as peer groups, teachers, and individuals they admire. A questionnaire containing questions related to the assessment of entrepreneurship proclivity (EP), entrepreneurship influencers (EI), the university's role in promoting entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship learning and training (EL&T), simulation and industry interaction programmes (S&IIP), demographic and family background, image of entrepreneurship, and personal independent learning approaches was circulated among the students. After collecting responses and applying factor analysis, these components and variables were re-grouped and titled as Entrepreneurship Learning and Training, Simulation, and Industry Interaction Programme (S&IIP), Entrepreneurship Proclivity (EP), Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University (PEU), Entrepreneurship Influencers (EI), Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP), and Entrepreneurship Hurdle (EH).

These components were further analyzed, and it was found that there is a positive correlation among all the components with entrepreneurship proclivity, except for Shortcomings of Simulation and Industry Interaction Programme (SoS&IIP). Independent variables also have an impact on dependent variables. The role of the university in promoting entrepreneurship and the simulation and industry interaction programmes it runs have a strong influence on inclination towards entrepreneurship (Ismail, 2019). Although entrepreneurship learning and training (EL&T) show a strong correlation, as reflected in the study, with entrepreneurship proclivity, the study rejects the H2 hypothesis (Krishnan & Monica, 2020). Similarly, the H3 hypothesis regarding the influence of entrepreneurship influencers on entrepreneurial proclivity has not been supported. The study also found that Entrepreneurship Proclivity (EP) among students significantly differs across the occupation of the father and courses pursued, while in all other cases, no significant differences were found. In light of the above discussion, it is suggested that the university should enrich its entrepreneurship learning and training programs to align with the contemporary environment, making students capable of taking up entrepreneurial challenges. Including more case studies in the curriculum would allow students to idealize and consider entrepreneurs as role models. Entrepreneurship internship programs and industry interaction programs are instrumental in entrepreneurial development. The study reveals that simulation and industry interaction programs, as well as internship programs, need to be designed according to the students' requirements. A few concerns of the students regarding the image of entrepreneurship, such as reluctance to take up entrepreneurship as a career option, fear of failure, and preference for jobs in big companies over starting startups, have also been identified. These concerns need to be addressed so that they do not become hurdles for entrepreneurship. The efforts of the government, nodal banks, universities, colleges, and students need to work in unity to achieve maximum results. The policies of the government and universities to promote entrepreneurship must be fully supported by financial institutions and development agencies. Mechanisms for building confidence among students to take up entrepreneurial challenges need to be developed.

Limitations of THE Study

The present study is based on responses collected from undergraduate students at 12 randomly selected colleges of the University of Delhi. These colleges vary in their approaches and operations, although the curriculum is centrally controlled by the University. The Simulation and Industry Interaction Programmes (S&IIPs), students' societies, seminars, and other extracurricular activities differ from one college to another. Consequently, the results may not be generalizable to the entire university. It was observed that female students showed indifference to entrepreneurship inclination. A more in-depth study could help identify the reasons for this indifference. The assessment of inclination towards entrepreneurship can be targeted specifically at colleges offering entrepreneurship courses to generalize the results. Due to students' reluctance to provide statements, the sample size could not be larger.

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Received: 25-Feb-2024, Manuscript No. AEJ-24-14733; Editor assigned: 28-Feb-2024, PreQC No. AEJ-24-14733(PQ); Reviewed: 11-Mar- 2024, QC No. AEJ-24-14733; Revised: 16-Mar-2024, Manuscript No. AEJ-24-14733(R); Published: 22-Mar-2024