Employability Skills and Entrepreneurship
What this domain tests
This domain checks workplace readiness and basic enterprise knowledge: resume and interview basics, teamwork, self-management, and how a small retail idea becomes a viable business.
Core concepts
- Employability skills: communication, teamwork, punctuality, honesty, customer orientation, problem solving, digital literacy, willingness to learn.
- Resume: name and contact, objective, education, skills, experience or project, references; one to two pages, no false claims.
- Interview: research the role, dress neatly, carry documents, answer with examples, ask one relevant question.
- Entrepreneurship: spot an opportunity, survey the market, estimate demand, plan location and layout, cost the product, price it, arrange funds, register the business, and keep records.
- Basic registrations for a small shop: Shop and Establishment registration, GST registration where turnover requires it, trade licence as applicable, current account, digital payment acceptance.
- Key numbers: selling price, cost price, gross margin, fixed cost, variable cost, break-even.
Worked example
A student plans a stationery counter. Fixed monthly cost (rent + electricity) = ₹12,000. Each item sells for ₹30 and costs ₹18. Contribution per item = ₹12. Break-even = 12,000 ÷ 12 = 1,000 items per month. Reasoning: below 1,000 items the shop makes a loss; above it, a profit.
Traps that cost marks
- Confusing turnover with profit.
- Ignoring working capital such as stock and rent deposits.
- Writing a resume with unverifiable claims.
- Forgetting break-even before launching.