In the current business world, women entrepreneurs are playing a vital role and they have become important part of the economic development and social progress. Development Compared to other countries the development of women entrepreneurship is very low in India. The educated women have to go a long way to achieve equal rights and position because traditions are deep rooted in Indian society where the sociological set up has been a male dominated one. Despite all the social hurdles, Indian women entrepreneurs stand tall from the rest of the crowd and are applauded for their achievements in their respective field. This paper focuses on women entrepreneurs, reasons women become entrepreneurs, the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and suggestions for the growth of women entrepreneurs.

1. Author : R. Latha
Department of Management Studies,
Sapthagiri College of Engineering

3. Entrepreneurship is necessary to initiate the process of
economic development of both developed and
developing countries.
It is also instrumental in sustaining the process of
economic development.
Every country tries to achieve economic development
for prosperity and better life to people.
So, contribution of both men and women is essential in
economic activities for healthy nation building.

4. But in India, women have to face many constraints in
carrying out economic activities or undertaking any
entrepreneurial work.
Women have to face various socio-economic and other
problems as entrepreneurs as they are not treated at
par with men due to social and cultural traditions.
 In recent years, it is observed that there has been
increasing trend in number of women enterprises in
India as the result of changing scenario of the present
world.

5. The term ‘entrepreneur’ has been derived from the
French word ‘entreprendre’ means to undertake. The
term entrepreneur may be defined as “an entrepreneur
is a person who combines capital and labour for
production”.
A "women entrepreneur" is any women who
organizes and manages any enterprise, esp. a
business, usually with considerable initiative and
risk.

7.  FIRST CATEGORY
 Established in big cities.
 Having higher technical qualifications.
 Sound financial positions.
 SECOND CATEGORY
 Established in cities and towns.
 Having sufficient education.
 Undertaking women services- kinder garden, crèches, beauty parlours,
etc.
 THIRD CATEGORY
 Illiterate Women.
 Financially week.
 Involved in family business like agriculture, dairy, handlooms,
horticulture etc.

9. Women’s family and personal obligations are sometimes a
great barrier for succeeding in business career. Only few
women are able to manage both home and business
efficiently, devoting enough time to perform all their
responsibilities in priority.
The educational level and family backgrounds of husband
also influences women participation in the field of
enterprise.
Absence of proper support, cooperation and back-up for
women by their own family members and the outside world
people force them to drop the idea of excelling in the
enterprise field. They are always making many pessimistic
feelings to be aroused in their minds and making them feel
that family and not business is a place meant for them.

10. Many women take the training by attending the Entrepreneurial
Development programme without an entrepreneurial bent of
mind. Women who are imparted training by various institutes
must be verified on account of aptitude through the tests,
interviews, etc.
High production cost of some business operations adversely affects
the development of women entrepreneurs. The installations of
new machineries during expansion of the productive capacity and
like similar factors discourage the women entrepreneurs from
venturing into new areas.
Lack of awareness about the financial assistance in the form of
incentives, loans, schemes etc. by the institutions in the financial
sector. So the sincere efforts taken towards women entrepreneurs
may not reach the entrepreneurs in rural and backward areas.

12. At present, the Government of India has over 27 schemes
for women operated by different departments and
ministries.
Some of these are:
Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP)
Khadi And Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
Training of Rural Youth for Self-Employment (TRYSEM)
Prime Minister‘s Rojgar Yojana (PMRY)
Entrepreneurial Development programme (EDPs)
Management Development progammes

13. Women‘s Development Corporations (WDCs)
Marketing of Non-Farm Products of Rural Women (MAHIMA)
Assistance to Rural Women in Non-Farm Development
(ARWIND) schemes
Trade Related Entrepreneurship Assistance and
Development (TREAD)
Working Women‘s Forum
Indira Mahila Yojana
Indira Mahila Kendra
Mahila Samiti Yojana
Mahila Vikas Nidhi

14. Micro Credit Scheme
Rashtriya Mahila Kosh
SIDBI‘s Mahila Udyam Nidhi
Mahila Vikas Nidhi
SBI‘s Stree Shakti Scheme
NGO‘s Credit Schemes
Micro & Small Enterprises Cluster Development
Programmes (MSE-CDP).
National Banks for Agriculture and Rural Development‘s
Schemes

15. Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana (RGMVP)
Priyadarshini Project- A programme for Rural Women
Empowerment and Livelihood in Mid Gangetic Plains’
NABARD- KFW-SEWA Bank project
Exhibitions for women, under promotional package for
Micro & Small enterprises approved by CCEA under
marketing support

16. Women, being almost 50% population of India, have
a pivotal role to play as far as economic development
of country is concerned.
The Government has increased the importance of
women by adopting various schemes and programs
for their participation in economic activities.
The Indian society is shifting from conservative
attitude to progressive attitude. So, women are
getting more opportunities not only in
entrepreneurial work but also in other domains of
human life.

17. Women should be encouraged to take the benefits
of policy measures introduced by the Government
to promote the status and level of women
entrepreneurs in the country.
Increased support should be provided by the
Government to help women entrepreneurs in order
to overcome the challenges faced by them.
Women entrepreneurs also require support from
their family and society. They should be provided
easy financial help without putting unrealistic
conditions by banks and financial institutions.

18. If women entrepreneurs get support and
encouragement from family, society, Government
and financial institutions, such positive effort can
open new avenues for them and increase the
marketability and profitability of business owned by
them.
If the problems of women entrepreneurs are
addressed properly, they can emerge as very
successful entrepreneurs far better than men
entrepreneurs.