India’s innovation ecosystem has matured to a stage where opportunity is fully democratised and accessible ‘on a mobile phone,’ Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said on Saturday, urging young people to move beyond the traditional aspiration of government jobs and embrace entrepreneurship.
Addressing the inaugural session of the Research–Industry–Startup–Entrepreneurship (RISE) Conclave 2026 in Chennai, Dr Singh stressed that government employment alone cannot be the only career goal for India’s youth.He called for a decisive shift in mindset towards innovation-led entrepreneurship and job creation, saying that India has transformed from a late entrant into a global innovation hub.
The two-day conclave, being held on February 14 and 15 at the Chennai Trade Centre, aims to bring together research institutions, industry leaders, academia and startups on one platform.The event is designed to align laboratory research with industry needs and market demands under what the Minister described as a “Whole-of-Government for Whole-of-Society” approach.
Recalling his early years in Chennai, Dr Singh described the city as a historic centre of learning and innovation.He praised institutions like CSIR-CLRI, calling them symbols of national pride since Independence.“Products developed at CLRI now have a strong export presence and that CSIR laboratories have increasingly aligned their work with national development priorities instead of functioning in isolation,” he noted.
Highlighting Tamil Nadu’s development, the Minister said the state has received significant support under flagship central schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Pradhan Mantri SVANidhi and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, along with the expansion of Vande Bharat Express services.
“These initiatives reflect recognition of Tamil Nadu’s contribution and potential,” he said.Speaking about India’s startup growth, Dr Singh said that in 2014 there were only around 350 recognised startups, while today the number has crossed two lakh, generating more than 21 lakh jobs.
He added that nearly 69 per cent of beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana are women, and tens of thousands of startups are women-led.India’s ranking in the Global Innovation Index has improved from 81 to 38, and the country now ranks sixth globally in patent filings, with most patents being filed by Indian residents working within the country.