Training Programme on “Government support & Role of Banks in the promotion of Entrepreneurship”

One day training programme conducted along with EDII-TN HUB and ED Cell Department of Information Technology, FXEC on 10th August 2021 at 11:00 am through Google Meet platform. Around 76 students from SCAD group of institutions and St. Xavier’s Catholic College of Engineering attended the programme.

The event started with an address by Prof. J. Jerlin Rajan, EDC Coordinator, who extended his warm welcome to the participants and the resource person.

Resource Person: Mr. M. Siva Baarathi, Field Coordinator, EDII-TN HUB, Anna University Regional Campus, Tirunelveli.

He delivered the topic on “Government Support to Entrepreneurs and the Role of Banks in the Promotion of Entrepreneurship”. He explained the various schemes through which the Government of India and the State Government support entrepreneurs. He highlighted schemes like UYEGP, PMEGP, and NEEDS, along with the subsidies available. He also discussed the Mudra Loan Scheme and procedures to obtain loans. The session was highly informative and included an interactive Q&A session with the students.

The session concluded at 12:30 pm with a vote of thanks by Prof. Galesh, Secretary, EDC, SXCCE. He expressed special gratitude to the resource person and his team for the successful conduct of the programme.

Three Day Entrepreneurship Awareness Camp

St. Xavier’s Catholic College of Engineering, Entrepreneurship Development Cell organized a three-day Entrepreneurship Awareness Camp from 10th to 12th March 2021. The programme was funded by the National Science and Technology Development Board under the DST-NIMAT project of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and supported by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII).

The participants included second, third, and final year students from engineering and technology backgrounds. A total of 120 students attended, presented new business ideas, and won prizes. The programme was conducted at the SXCCE premises and included sessions on different aspects of entrepreneurship, including a factory visit to a small-scale industry.

The resource persons included entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, and representatives from eminent government bodies such as DIC, SIDBI, and MSME. The three-day camp concluded with a valedictory session and a humble vote of thanks.

Day 1 – 10th March 2021

Session 1:
The camp was inaugurated by Mr. A. Nagappa Pillai (Retired Senior Manager, SBI) and Rev. Fr. M. Maria William (Correspondent – SXCCE). The objectives of the camp were introduced, followed by a session emphasizing the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship. The speaker discussed who an entrepreneur is, entrepreneurial success, and shared real-time startup examples. Inspirational videos on "Lead India" and innovation were also shown. The session was highly interactive.

Session 2:
Mr. A. Nagappa Pillai, also an Associate Member of the Indian Institute of Banking, Mumbai, delivered a talk titled “The Spirit of Entrepreneurship”. He emphasized the significance of entrepreneurial attitude, passion for entrepreneurship, and skills needed for success. The session provided students valuable insights into how to develop themselves as effective entrepreneurs.

Session 3:
The third session was on the topic “Emerging Startup Culture in India & Success Stories of Indian Startups”. Mr. I. Janakiraman, CEO, Dynamic Dreamers (a software-based startup), discussed the necessity of startups in the current scenario, the trend of startups in India, incubation centers in universities and colleges, the role of government in promoting startups, and support mechanisms like NASSCOM and technology accelerators. He also shared real-life startup success stories.

Session 4:
Mr. I. Janakiraman continued with a session on “Risks and Challenges Faced by Entrepreneurs”. He outlined ten major areas of risk and challenge faced by entrepreneurs and elaborated on effective strategies for overcoming them.

Day 2 – 11th March 2021

Session 1:
Dr. D. Anto Pravin Singh, Head and Assistant Professor, AVCAS, conducted an activity-based session on Idea Generation and Screening of Ideas. He provided guidance on how to generate and evaluate ideas. Students worked in teams on the common problem of traffic management and came up with creative solutions, shortlisting the top three ideas. The session highlighted the value of entrepreneurship as a career path.

Session 2:
Dr. D. Anto Pravin Singh delivered another session on “Guidelines for Preparation of Business Plan and Project Report”. He explained the nine key components of a business model — from value proposition to cost structure — and shared a clear structure for preparing an effective project report.

Session 3:
Dr. S. Siva Kumar Manoharan, Managing Director of Vibrant Business Solutions, Nagercoil, gave an informative talk on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). He discussed the different types of funds required to run a business, funding sources, and SIDBI schemes that support startups. He also provided useful startup-related resources and links.

Session 4:
Mr. Varatha Ganesh, Assistant Engineer, District Industry Centre, Nagercoil, spoke about the importance of innovation in students’ lives. He highlighted what makes a strong business pitch and explained MSME development at the state and national level, including current government policies. He also guided students on how to develop and commercialize their own projects. The session was interactive and thought-provoking.

Day 3 – 12th March 2021

Factory Visit to Nanjil Integrated Dairy Unit 1:
The third day of the camp was dedicated to an industrial visit. Participants were taken to Nanjil Integrated Dairy Firm, Unit 1, an ISO 9001:2015 & ISO 22000:2005 certified company located in Mulagumoodu, Kanyakumari District.

Upon arrival, the team was warmly welcomed by Mr. R. Ranjith Singh, Deputy General Manager, and led to the conference room where he briefed the students on the Indian milk industry’s operations. He discussed the company’s profile, objectives, and philosophy, and explained the procurement and delivery process along with the range of dairy products offered by Nanjil.

Mr. A. Darwin, Plant Manager – Quality Assurance, then delivered a detailed talk on the Nanjil Dairy network. He explained the production process, organizational structure, and work culture. He emphasized time management and quality control in the milk industry, covering marketing strategies, distribution channels, and HR practices.

Although a direct walk-through of the production floor was restricted, students observed the processes like clarification, standardization, homogenization, and pasteurization through a class demonstration. They were taken to the quality control department where milk testing procedures were shown, and later to the control room, where they witnessed the real-time logistics of distributing milk to over 1,600 retail shops across the city.

The visit proved to be a valuable learning experience. An engaging session with Mr. Justin, Finance Manager, helped clarify many student doubts about the financial operations of a large-scale dairy enterprise. He also touched upon taxation systems followed in India.

Brainstorming Session:
After returning from the factory, an internal brainstorming session was held focused on campus startups. Students running their own startups shared experiences about initiating businesses during their academic journey, the challenges they faced, and the advantages of starting early.

Valedictory Session:
The Entrepreneurship Awareness Camp concluded with a valedictory function. Dr. M. Marsaline Beno, Vice Principal, delivered the valedictory address. The event was presided over by Dr. V. Christus Jeya Singh, Dean–Student Affairs and Dr. R. S. Shaji, Dean–Research, SXCCE. Certificates were distributed to all participants and coordinators, followed by feedback collection and a vote of thanks.

Entrepreneurship Awareness Camp Sponsored by DST-NIMAT Project: 2020–2021

Second Entrepreneurship Awareness Camp sponsored by DST-NIMAT Project, 2020–2021.

Ministry of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises – Industrial Motivation Campaign

A two-day motivational program for budding entrepreneurs titled “Industrial Motivation Campaign” (IMC) was organized by the Entrepreneurship Development Cell of St. Xavier’s Catholic College of Engineering, in association with the Ministry of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises, MSME Development Institute (Government of India Undertaking), Tuticorin branch.

The event took place at the Rock Hostel Auditorium from 19th to 20th February 2021, with participation from 92 students across various colleges. The program was sponsored by the MSME Development Institute, Tuticorin.

The inaugural session began on 19th February at 10:30 am with a welcome address by Mr. J. Jerlin Rajan, Assistant Professor, Department of Management Studies. Rev. Fr. Dr. M. Maria William, Correspondent, gave the presidential address, and Dr. J. Maheswaran, Principal, delivered the special address.

Day 1: Sessions were handled by Shri. Nagappa Pillai (Retired Manager, SBI, Nagercoil) and Shri. Gobalan (President, MSME Kanyakumari District – KADIMSIA). They emphasized the importance of innovation, requirements of a sound business pitch, and highlighted the current MSME development policies at both state and national levels.

Day 2: Resource persons included Mr. Shyam Gobal (Managing Director, Vibrant Business Solutions, Nagercoil), Mr. Varatha Ganesh (Assistant Engineer, District Industry Centre, Nagercoil), and Shri. John Bright (Assistant Director, Tamil Nadu Industries & Investment Corporation – TIIC). The discussions focused on project development, commercialization strategies, and fostering innovation among students.

The two-day campaign concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. A. Oliver Bright, Professor, Department of Management Studies.