Vol. 6, Issue 12, Part A (2020)

Abstract
Students of agriculture can play a crucial role in changing the scenario of traditional agriculture into a commercial enterprise if developed necessary entrepreneurial competency. The study explored the level of entrepreneurial competency and its relationship with socio- academic characteristics of agricultural research scholars of Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur with a gender perspective to examine if there is a significant association between male and female research scholars in relation to their level of competency. The 118 research scholars (68 males and 50 females) studying in any year of Ph.D. in different departments were interviewed with the help of questionnaire developed by Entrepreneurship Development Institute, Ahmadabad. The major findings of the study revealed that the overall entrepreneurial competency of greater part of the respondents was high. Among different component traits of entrepreneurial competency, information-seeking behaviour, commitment to work contract and persistence were important. Socio-academic characters like academic performance, knowledge of government policies related to agriculture and attitude towards agricultural entrepreneurship had positive impact and father’s education, basic knowledge of communication technology and agribusiness anxiety had negative impact on possession of entrepreneurial competencies for male research scholars whereas for female research scholars, family occupation, family income and attitude towards agricultural entrepreneurship had positive impact and agribusiness anxiety had negative impact.