Money Spinners on the Campus
The E-cell of the Banasthali Vidyapeth in Jaipur, Oorja, has acquired the character of a serial entrepreneur. Now they have three campus companies to their credit, two of which have already started posting profits. This year they launched the third company Eduzone for over one thousand students of the campus.
The concept behind the new company is fairly simple, yet equally effective. The nine co-leaders of the E-cell realised the trouble the students of this all-girls campus had to go through in getting their notes photocopied through the lone photocopy which was arranged by the university authorities. The students would stand in queue for a long time and same set of papers would be photocopied over and over again. The cost at one rupee per photocopy impression was also not too affordable for students who depended on these notes for studies.
The Oorja team tied the two ends of this process together and brought down the cost, while at the same time brining much comfort to both students and teachers. On the one hand, they got teachers on board and made them give the Eduzone team the notes which needed to be made available to students before the class. And, on the other hand, it roped in a set of Xerox vendors who would take up the bulk job at less than half the price.
At Eduzone, the cost per photocopy impression is only 50 paise now and the notes are delivered right in the class to all students. The teachers are happy that they have to share notes with a responsible set of people and the students can't have any excuse of not having the material in front of them.
Meanwhile, the earlier two companies Dust to Drain, a laundry service for hostellers, and Juicy Juice Corner, a refreshment stall, has started posting profits. The turnover of Juicy Juice Corner in 2011-12 was about Rs 17,000, in which the students made a profit of over 60 per cent.
In all, a group of 17 students of the E-cell manage all the three companies.