NCERT Solutions Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups

F R E E S T U D Y M AT E R I A L F O R E V E R Y S T U D E N T

CLASS 9 · SOCIAL SCIENCE

NCERT Solutions

Chapter 15: From
Ideas to Startups

NCERT Textbook — Understanding Society: India
and Beyond

BOOK PAGES SECTIONS QUESTIONS MEDIUM

Part II, 125 – 146 7 32 English

Every question Step by step Exam ready
Activities, in-text questions The working shown, not Written to match how
and all exercises. just the final answer. marks are awarded.

Solutions, notes, sample papers & more at 42 pages

Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

CLASS 9 · SOCIAL SCIENCE · UNDERSTANDING SOCIETY: INDIA AND BEYOND

NCERT Solutions — Chapter 15: From Ideas to Startups
This is Part II, Chapter 6 of Understanding Society: India and Beyond. It explains entrepreneurship, the
process of turning an idea into a business venture, through the Jataka tale of the dead mouse, the Lijjat
Papad cooperative and the hotelier Mohan Singh Oberoi. You will learn to build a business plan, explain the
four functional areas of a business, read a simple profit and loss account, and say how startups and
traditional business communities help India grow.

TEXTBOOK BOOK PAGES
Understanding Society: India and Beyond (Class 9) Part II, 125 – 146

SECTIONS QUESTIONS
7 32

MEDIUM
English

The Big Questions — Page 125
Chapter opener
THE BIG QUESTIONS

Q1 How does entrepreneurship impact society and the economy?

Entrepreneurs turn ideas into businesses, and those businesses improve life for people and
help the economy grow. The chapter (Fig. 6.13, page 139) shows six effects:
Producing goods and services, which boosts economic activity.
Creating jobs and income for households.
Paying taxes that fund roads, schools and hospitals.
Making innovations that solve problems and drive growth.
Improving quality of life through medicines, transport and technology.
Corporate social responsibility: spending on education, environment and healthcare.
Lijjat Papad is an example: it made over 45,000 women financially independent and funds
scholarships for their children.

The chapter’s examples cover each effect:

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Society: Lijjat empowered women homemakers and provides scholarships; the man in
the Jataka tale used his wealth “to help communities in the city”; the Chettiars
reinvested profits into temples, education and community welfare.
Economy: Oberoi built one of India’s largest hotel chains, creating many jobs. India is
now the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world, with around 120 unicorns in 2025,
working in e-commerce, fin-tech, health-tech and agri-tech.
Nation: startups support Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliance) and the vision of Viksit
Bharat 2047.

Why: An entrepreneur combines the factors of production (land, labour,
capital) in a new way. Each part of that combination pays someone: workers get
wages, suppliers get orders, the government gets taxes and customers get a
better product. That is why one good business idea spreads benefits so widely.

Q2 What are some functional areas of a business?

Functional areas are departments or groups inside a business that focus on one kind of task.
The four key areas are:

FUNCTIONAL AREA JOB EXAMPLES

Management and Looking after day-to-day matters; Production, quality, supply chain
operations efficient processes

Finance and Managing money wisely; financial Budgeting, reporting, cash flow
accounting health

Human resources Managing people; right people and Hiring, employee benefits, solving
skills workplace conflicts

Marketing and sales Spreading awareness and driving Advertising, promotions, sales
sales

Together they give the business structure and coordination (Fig. 6.9, page 133).

In the chapter’s bakery example:
Operations: choose the right oven, arrange ingredients, check quality and plan daily
baking so products are fresh, with no delay or wastage.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Finance: pay fixed costs (rent, ovens, mixers) and variable costs (ingredients,
packaging), and keep a profit and loss account.
Human resources: hire bakers, helpers, cleaners and a cashier, and train them in
hygiene and baking standards.
Marketing: a catchy name, social media posts, seasonal items like mango-flavoured
cake, discounts and online ordering.

Tip: Remember the four areas as “Make it, Fund it, Staff it, Sell it”.

Q3 How to develop a business plan?

A business plan is a written document, a blueprint, that sets out the goals of a business and
the steps to reach them. To develop one, answer eight sets of questions in order (Fig. 6.6,
page 130):
1. Needs and idea: what do people need and what problem does it solve?
2. Potential customers: children, young adults or the elderly?
3. Money and costs: how much money is needed and where will it come from?
4. Location: where will it be made and sold, in a store or online?
5. Human resources: how many people, with what skills?
6. Pricing and profits: what price, and how much profit?
7. Promotion or marketing: TV, social media or print ads?
8. Challenges and risks: what could cause losses?
Write the answers down, put numbers to them, and revise the plan as the business grows.

The plan does three jobs. It guides the entrepreneur from the idea stage to starting and
running the business. It is a roadmap for decisions that keeps the team organised and
helps them set priorities. It also persuades others, such as a bank or an investor, that the
idea is worth backing.
A good plan always ends with numbers. Estimate monthly costs and revenue, then work
out Profit = Total Revenue – Total Expenses. In the book’s ABC Bakery example, ₹2,95,000
– ₹2,22,000 = ₹73,000 profit before tax.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Trace the chain and you can see the method:

STEP OPPORTUNITY HE NOTICED WHAT HE GAINED

1 A shopkeeper’s cat was hungry Two coins for a dead mouse

2 A flower picker was tired and thirsty Flowers in exchange for fruit and water

3 People in the city buy flowers Money from selling flowers

4 A storm left fallen branches Firewood to sell

5 Horse dealers needed grass Trade with them

6 People wanted refreshments A shop, and later trade with foreign merchants

Why: Each step meets a real need of someone, which is exactly how the
chapter defines entrepreneurship: converting an idea into a venture that meets
the needs of society. None of the steps needed much money; they needed
alertness and effort.

Your own answer: You may argue that one side matters more. A good answer
still shows that noticing a chance is wasted without the hard work to follow it
up.

Q2 What kind of traits do you think entrepreneurs need to have? Discuss with your
classmates.

Entrepreneurs need these traits:
Curiosity and alertness: they see opportunities where others see challenges.
Creativity: an innovative solution to a real problem.
Courage to take risks: Mohan Singh Oberoi mortgaged his wife’s jewellery to buy a hotel.
Hard work and perseverance: they keep going after setbacks and learn from failure.
Good decision making and planning.
Teamwork and leadership: the Lijjat women had “grit and unity”.
Honesty and commitment to quality: Lijjat’s rule that “the quality had to be consistent”.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Concern for society: creating value for others, not only profit.

The chapter itself names many of these. Entrepreneurs are “curious individuals who see
opportunities where others see challenges”, who are “driven by passion and a commitment
to creating value for society”. Fig. 6.2 adds what they do: identify a problem, take risks,
make key decisions, combine the factors of production and contribute to the welfare of
society.
For the class discussion, match each trait to a story from the chapter:

TRAIT WHO SHOWS IT

Spotting opportunity The young man in the Jataka tale

Unity and quality The seven Lijjat founders

Learning on the job Oberoi learned every part of hotel work as a desk clerk

Risk-taking Oberoi’s mortgage in 1934

Trust and record-keeping The Chettiar community

Tip: Add adaptability too, the ability to change plans when customers or costs
change. The Dandekar brothers (Questions and activities, Q5) moved from ink
powder to art materials.

THINK ABOUT IT — Page 128

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

From Rooftop to Revolution (Lijjat Papad)
THINK ABOUT IT

Q1 What problem was Lijjat solving beyond just selling papads?

From Rooftop to Revolution (key facts, pages 127–128). In 1959 seven homemakers
from a Mumbai chawl started making papads on a rooftop with borrowed
equipment, a recipe and ₹80. Each woman took dough home, rolled papads
between household tasks and returned them by evening; “the quality had to be
consistent”. Every member who joined would be an equal owner and profits were
shared equally. In 1962 it was registered as the cooperative Shri Mahila Griha Udyog
Lijjat Papad. By 2023 it had over 45,000 women members, 83 branches and an
annual turnover of ₹1,600 crore. It runs pick-up and drop-off buses and gives
scholarships to members’ children.

Beyond selling papads, Lijjat solved the problem of women homemakers having no income
and no financial independence.
Women with no business degrees, investors or capital could earn their own money while
managing their homes, because the work could be done at home.
Every member is an equal owner and profits are shared equally, so they gained dignity and
a voice, not just wages.
Scholarships help members’ children continue their education.
It empowered communities and showed that a large business can be completely self-
reliant.

Papads were the product; women’s empowerment was the purpose. The book ends the
story by saying the organisation “has helped thousands of women become financially
independent, empowered communities, and built a large-scale business while being
completely self-reliant”.

Why: The cooperative form is the key. In an ordinary company the owners and
workers are different people. In Lijjat they are the same women, so the profit
stays with them.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q2 What challenges do you think the founders could have faced at the start? How might
they have overcome them?

LIKELY CHALLENGE HOW THEY COULD OVERCOME IT

Very little money (only ₹80) Borrow equipment, start small, reinvest earnings

No factory or workplace Roll papads at home; use the rooftop to gather

Balancing work with household duties Flexible home-based work, dough out in the morning,
papads back by evening

Keeping quality the same when many people A strict rule that quality must be consistent; check
make the product every batch

Winning buyers’ trust as unknown sellers Consistent taste built a reputation; a registered brand
(1962)

Keeping unity as the group grew Equal ownership and equal sharing of profit

In short, they used what they had, kept quality high, and stayed united as equal owners.

The question says “could have faced”, so the challenges are reasonable guesses based on
the facts in the book: no business degrees, no investors, no master plan and no factory at
first. The solutions in the table are the ones the book shows them using, such as home-
based rolling, the consistency rule, cooperative registration and equal sharing.

Tip: In an exam, give at least three challenges, each with its matching solution.

Q3 Can you think of a similar cooperative idea you could start in your community?

Sample idea: a women’s cloth-and-jute bag cooperative.
Members: 10–15 homemakers who can stitch. Each pays a small equal share to buy cloth,
jute and thread, and each is an equal owner.
Work: material is cut at a common place in the morning; members stitch at home and return
bags by evening, as in Lijjat.

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Quality rule: every bag is checked against a sample before sale.
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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

The first box in Fig. 6.6 asks: “What do people need? Can it be produced? What problem
does it solve?” The answer must pass all three tests. Healthy millet cookies meet a need,
can be baked with ordinary equipment, and solve a problem (no healthy snack nearby).

Tip: A product that is fresh, affordable or unique gives customers a reason to
choose you. Having two of the three is even better.

Q2 Potential customers: Knowing your customers helps you decide what kind of
products to offer. To identify the target consumers, one may think about:
Decide whether to specialise in offering cakes, cupcakes for children, or savoury
snacks for young adults, or everyday breads and confectionery items for
families.

Choose the main customer group first, then match the products to it.

CUSTOMER GROUP WHAT THEY BUY WHEN

Families Everyday bread, buns, rusks Every morning

Children Cupcakes, cookies, birthday cakes After school, birthdays

Young adults Savoury snacks such as puffs and sandwiches Evenings

Sample decision: for a shop near a school and homes, make families the core group, because
bread sells every day, and add children’s cupcakes and cookies as the second line. Cake
orders can come later.

Fig. 6.6 asks: “Who will use the product or service? Young adults, children, and/or
elderly?” A new bakery should not try to serve everyone at once. A clear target group
makes the menu, the price and the advertising simpler.

Why: Daily items give steady income. Special items give a higher profit on each
sale. A mix of both keeps cash flowing and still earns well.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q3 Money and costs: Your business needs a robust financial start, which begins with
planning finances and estimating the initial investment required. This includes the cost
of equipment, such as an oven, rent for the premise, staff salaries, ingredients, such as
flour and nuts, and packaging.
How should funds be arranged? (through savings, loans from banks, friends,
relatives, or investors)?
How much will the expenses be?

Funds: use a mix. Own savings and money from family cover the start, a bank loan pays for
costly equipment such as the oven, and an investor may be brought in later to expand. A loan
must be repaid with interest, so borrow only what is needed.
Expenses: list them under two heads.
One-time (initial investment): oven, mixer, refrigerator, display counter, deposit for the
shop.
Monthly running costs: the book’s ABC Bakery spends ₹2,22,000 a month. That includes
raw materials ₹1,00,000, rent ₹40,000, salaries ₹30,000, utilities ₹15,000, packaging
₹12,000, interest ₹10,000, advertising ₹8,000 and miscellaneous ₹7,000.
Keep 2–3 months of running costs in hand as a cushion.

Monthly expenses (Fig. 6.11)

= 1,00,000 + 12,000 + 40,000 + 30,000 + 15,000 + 8,000 + 7,000 + 10,000

= ₹2,22,000

The chapter separates costs into two kinds:
Fixed costs stay the same however much is sold, for example rent, insurance and
equipment.
Variable costs rise and fall with production, for example flour, sugar and packaging.
The ₹10,000 “interest on loan” in Fig. 6.11 shows that ABC Bakery did borrow, and interest
is a cost every month.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

About the book: The margin note on page 134 lists salaries as a fixed cost,
while the text on the same page lists salaries under variable costs. Both can be
right. Monthly salaries of permanent staff are fixed. Wages paid per day or per
piece to extra helpers in a busy season rise with output, so they are variable.

Q4 Location: You may want to choose the right place for your bakery.
Can choosing a busy area, such as near schools, colleges, or markets, help
attract more customers?
Can selling online or taking orders through mobile apps help you reach more
people?

Fig. 6.7 (page 131): a street scene with a school on the left, a city market and a
books-and-stationery shop in the middle, and “ABC BAKERY” on the right. Students
in uniform with school bags stand outside the bakery; a board in front lists Fresh
Bread, Cakes, Pastries and Cookies.

Yes to both.
Busy area: a shop near schools, colleges or a market gets many people walking past every
day, so more of them stop and buy without any advertising. Students coming out of school,
as in Fig. 6.7, are ready customers for snacks. Rent is higher in busy places, so the extra
sales must cover it.
Online and apps: taking orders on a phone, a website or a food-delivery app reaches
people who never walk past the shop, for example customers ordering birthday cakes from
across the town. It also allows advance orders, so less food is wasted.
Best plan: a shop in a busy spot, plus online ordering and home delivery.

Fig. 6.6 asks two location questions: “Where will it be made? Where will it be sold: at a
store or online?” A bakery can bake in a cheaper place and sell in a busy one, or do both in
one shop.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why: Location is a trade-off between footfall (people passing) and rent (a fixed
cost). ABC Bakery pays ₹40,000 rent but also earns ₹15,000 in delivery
charges, so it uses both the shop and delivery.

Q5 Human resources (people and skills): You will have to decide how many people have
to be hired and trained, and the required skills for the job.
Identify people for roles, such as bakers, helpers, and staff for billing or delivery.

Sample staff plan for a small bakery:

ROLE NUMBER SKILLS NEEDED

Baker 2 Baking bread and cakes, recipes, using the oven safely

Helper 1 Mixing, cleaning, packing, hygiene

Billing staff 1 Handling cash and digital payments, polite service

Delivery person 1 Riding a two-wheeler, reading addresses, punctuality

All staff are trained in hygiene and baking standards, and a comfortable, motivating workplace
keeps good people from leaving.

The chapter lists these human resources tasks for a bakery: hiring bakers, helpers,
cleaners and a cashier; training staff in hygiene and baking standards; and keeping the
workplace comfortable and motivating. It calls people “the heart of every business”.

Tip: In a small business one person often does two jobs. The billing person can
also take phone orders. Count both the number of people and the skills.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT, ABC BAKERY (TEEN ENTERPRISE), MONTH ENDED
MARCH 2026 (FIG. 6.11)

INCOME AMOUNT (₹)

Bread and buns 1,20,000

Pastries and cookies 75,000

Cake orders 85,000

Delivery charges 15,000

Total income 2,95,000

EXPENSES AMOUNT (₹)

Raw materials: flour, sugar 1,00,000

Packaging material 12,000

Rent 40,000

Salaries and wages for staff 30,000

Utilities (electricity and gas) 15,000

Advertising and marketing 8,000

Miscellaneous expenses 7,000

Interest on loan 10,000

Total expenses 2,22,000

Income: 1,20,000 + 75,000 + 85,000 + 15,000 = 2,95,000
Expenses: 1,00,000 + 12,000 + 40,000 + 30,000 + 15,000 + 8,000 + 7,000 + 10,000 =
2,22,000

PBT = 73,000; tax = 13,000; PAT = 60,000
PAT as a share of sales = 60,000 ÷ 2,95,000 × 100 ≈ 20%

So about ₹20 of every ₹100 of sales is left as profit after tax.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Tip: If prices are cut too far, sales may rise while profit falls. Always check both
revenue and expenses.

Q7 Promotion or marketing: To spread awareness among people about the bakery, you
may want to promote it through social media, posters, and provide special offers.
What kind of packaging can enhance the appeal and shelf-life of the bakery
products?
How can customer service be improved to retain customers?

Packaging:
Sealed, food-grade packets or boxes keep air and moisture out, so bread and cookies stay
fresh longer.
Window boxes let customers see the cake, and the bakery’s name and logo build the brand.
Printed baked-on and best-before dates build trust.
Recyclable paper or cardboard appeals to customers who care about the environment.
Customer service: greet customers politely, serve quickly, keep the shop clean, take orders by
phone or app, deliver on time, replace a faulty item without argument, remember regular
customers and offer a loyalty card (for example, every 10th bread free). Ask for feedback and
act on it.

The chapter’s marketing strategies for a bakery are: seasonal and customised items such
as mango-flavoured cake; discounts and special offers; easy online ordering and delivery;
photos and videos on social media; and eco-friendly recyclable packaging.

Why: Keeping an old customer is usually cheaper than finding a new one.
Happy regular customers also bring others by word of mouth, which costs
nothing.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q8 Challenges and risks: These are threats that disrupt operations or cause losses, for
example, high competition, rising cost of raw materials, changing customer
preferences, volatile cash flows, etc. These are an inevitable part of every business
venture.
How can perishable inventory be managed effectively?
How can consistent quality in the products be ensured?
How should fluctuating customer demand be handled?
Are there other bakeries in the locality and how can we compete with them?

Perishable inventory: bake in small batches based on daily sales records, sell older stock
first, store items properly, and sell end-of-day items at a discount instead of throwing them
away.
Consistent quality: use fixed recipes with exact measures, buy from reliable suppliers, train
staff in hygiene, and taste-check every batch.
Fluctuating demand: track sales by day and season, bake more before festivals, weekends
and exams, take advance orders, and keep long-lasting items such as rusks and cookies for
slow days.
Competition: visit the other bakeries to see their products and prices, then stand out with
something they lack, such as millet items, home delivery, a loyalty card or better service, not
just lower prices.

Inventory means the goods and materials a business holds for production or resale. For a
bakery most of it spoils within days, so overproduction is a direct loss.
The book lists other risks too: rising cost of raw materials (handle it by buying in bulk or
adjusting prices a little), changing customer preferences (keep asking customers what
they want), and volatile cash flows (keep a cash reserve).

Tip: Risks cannot be removed completely. The chapter calls them “an inevitable
part of every business venture”. The plan must show how each one will be
reduced.

LET’S EXPLORE — Page 136

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Functional Areas of a Business
LET’S EXPLORE

Q1 Interview two people in your vicinity who run a business (tailor, shopkeeper, factory
owner, etc.) and find out about their journey of starting the business by asking them
the following questions:
Why did they start the business?
What were the challenges they faced?
What were the risks taken?
What did they learn from the process?

Sample interview record (names withheld):

QUESTION PERSON A: TAILOR PERSON B: GROCERY
SHOPKEEPER

Why start? Learned stitching as a teenager; wanted Lost a factory job; the colony had no
to work for herself and stay near her grocery shop nearby
children

Challenges Few customers at first; ready-made Big stores and online apps; customers
clothes are cheap; machine repairs buying on credit; stock that expires

Risks taken Bought a sewing machine on a loan Put all savings into stock and paid
advance rent

Lessons Neat work and on-time delivery bring Keep accounts every day, limit credit,
customers back; alterations give steady offer home delivery and UPI payment
income

What it shows: both started small to meet a local need, took a money risk, and survived
through quality, trust and careful accounts.

How to do the interview
1. Ask permission first and explain it is a school project. Do not record or photograph
anyone without consent.
2. Ask the four questions in order, then one follow-up each, such as “How did you get the
money?” or “What would you do differently?”
3. Note the answers in the person’s own words, then sort them into the table.

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The same five stages fit the other stories in the chapter:

STAGE MOHAN SINGH OBEROI YOUR SCHOOL NIMBU PANI
STALL

Identifies a Struggling hotels could be run far better Visitors at the festival are thirsty
problem

Takes risks Mortgaged his wife’s jewellery and used Spend pocket money on lemons,
all his savings (1934) sugar and glasses

Makes Renovations, staff training, expansion Price per glass, how much to
decisions make

Combines Buildings, staff, money, management Stall, classmates, money, recipe
factors skill

Welfare of Jobs; a hotel management school Refreshment; profit can go to a
society class fund

Why: The factors of production are land (place and materials), labour (people’s
work), capital (money and equipment) and enterprise. The entrepreneur
supplies the enterprise that brings the other three together.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q3 Based on the case study of Mohan Singh Oberoi on Page 128, which functional area
helped improve the quality of the company’s products? How did different functional
areas work together to make the business successful? Now that you know about the
functional areas of a business, create a business plan for your business idea using the
template given on Page 142.

From the case study (page 129): “He hired and trained skilled staff to provide
excellent hospitality services, and constantly worked to improve hotel facilities and
guest experiences. He carefully managed the business’s finances to support growth
and expansion. His hotels were renovated and operated efficiently to maintain high
standards. The company built a trusted brand known for luxury and quality service.
Customer satisfaction remained the top priority in all hotel operations.”

Quality: mainly management and operations. The hotels were renovated and run efficiently to
maintain high standards, and facilities were constantly improved. Human resources supported
this: a hotel’s “product” is service, and trained staff delivered it.
Working together:
Finance paid for buying, renovating and expanding hotels.
HR supplied skilled, trained staff.
Operations turned money and staff into high-quality rooms and service.
Marketing built a trusted luxury brand, which brought more guests and more money for
growth.
Each area fed the next, with customer satisfaction at the centre.
Business plan (short sample): BookLoop, a used-textbook exchange for students in Classes
6–12, selling books at half price; expected profit ₹7,000 a month in the peak season. All 12 parts
of the template are filled in Questions and activities, Q11.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

BULLET IN THE CASE STUDY FUNCTIONAL AREA

Hired and trained skilled staff Human resources

Carefully managed finances for growth Finance and accounting

Renovated and operated efficiently; high standards Management and operations

Built a trusted brand Marketing and sales

Customer satisfaction the top priority All areas

Oberoi’s own early career shows why the areas fit together. As a desk clerk earning ₹50 a
month, he “learned every aspect of hotel operations, from guest service to billing and
administration”, so later he understood how each department depended on the others.

Tip: For your own plan, take one row of the template at a time. Write the
numbers last, once you know your customers and your resources.

LET’S EXPLORE — Page 137
India’s Traditional Entrepreneurial Community
LET’S EXPLORE

Q1 Find out more about other regional communities who have excelled as entrepreneurs.

Besides the Chettiars of Tamil Nadu, several regional communities have a long tradition of
trade and enterprise:

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

COMMUNITY HOME REGION KNOWN FOR

Marwaris Rajasthan (Marwar, Trade and banking across India,
Shekhawati) especially in Kolkata and Mumbai; later
many large industries

Gujarati traders (including Gujarat Sea trade from ports such as Surat with
Bohra, Khoja and Memon West Asia and East Africa; textiles and
merchants) retail

Parsis Gujarat and Mumbai Shipbuilding, cotton mills and heavy
industry, such as the Tata steel works at
Jamshedpur (1907)

Sindhis Sindh; settled across Trade networks around the world; rebuilt
India after 1947 businesses after Partition

Like the Chettiars, these communities relied on trust, careful accounts and passing skills
down the family.

Some shared features:
Trust-based credit: traders used the hundi, a written order to pay money, which let
them move funds over long distances before modern banks spread.
Family and community networks: relatives in distant towns acted as agents and
partners.
Reinvestment and giving: profits went back into business and also into schools,
hospitals, wells and temples. The Chettiars did the same.

Your own answer: Find out about a trading or craft community from your own
state, for example weavers, metal workers or merchants. Ask: what did they
trade, where, and how did they build trust?

Tip: Entrepreneurship is not limited to any one community. These groups are
examples of traditions; today people from every background start businesses.

Questions and activities — Pages 140–146

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End of chapter
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It needs money managed well, skilled people, efficient operations and marketing so
people hear about it.
It needs hard work and perseverance. The chapter says some startups “struggle or even
close down”.
The chapter says Oberoi’s journey shows that entrepreneurship “is not only about having a
good idea. It involves planning, teamwork, decision making, and the effective management of
different areas of the business.” Lijjat’s idea was simple (papads); its consistent quality and
unity made it succeed.

Think of innovation as the seed and the functional areas as soil, water and sunlight. A
brilliant new app with no money to run its servers, or a new snack that no shop stocks, will
fail. On the other hand, the Dandekar brothers added innovation (colours suited to Indian
needs) to a business that already had good quality, fair prices and persistence.

Why: Customers pay for a product that reaches them on time, works well and is
fairly priced. Innovation makes it different, but execution makes it available and
trusted.

Q3 “A business plan is a dynamic roadmap for a startup.” Explain this statement with
suitable examples. When should one change the business plan?

A business plan is a roadmap because it sets goals and the steps to reach them. It is
“dynamic” because it is not fixed: it is updated as the business learns and conditions
change.
Examples from the chapter:
Lijjat began with papads only, then in the 1980s and 90s added flour, masalas and soaps,
and began exporting.
The Dandekar brothers began with ink powder, saw that artists lacked good materials, and
moved into colours, crayons and geometry boxes.
A bakery may add online ordering when customers start using apps.
Change the plan when: customer preferences change; raw material costs rise; a new
competitor arrives; new technology appears; sales or profit fall short of targets; a new
opportunity opens; or the business is ready to expand.

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A good habit is to review the plan regularly, say every three or six months, by comparing
actual revenue and expenses with the plan. A big gap is a signal to change something: the
price, the product, the location or the marketing.

Tip: Changing the plan is not failure. The chapter says every unsuccessful
attempt “offers lessons that help entrepreneurs develop stronger ideas”.

Q4 Do you think every entrepreneur should think about the impact of their goods or
services on society and the environment? Explain using relevant examples.

Yes. A business uses society’s resources and serves its people, so it should create value for
them and not harm them or the environment.
Society: Lijjat made thousands of women financially independent and gives scholarships to
their children. Oberoi founded a hotel management school. The Chettiars reinvested profits
in education and community welfare.
Environment: the chapter mentions eco-friendly jute bags that can replace plastic, and
recyclable packaging for the bakery. A business that dumps waste or wastes water
damages everyone.
Good for business too: customers trust and return to responsible brands, and the chapter
lists corporate social responsibility (education, environment, healthcare) as one of
business’s contributions.
Profit made by harming people or nature does not last.

The chapter defines an entrepreneur as someone driven by “a commitment to creating
value for society”, and Fig. 6.2 ends with “contributes to the welfare of society”. Even the
Jataka tale ends with the young man using his wealth to help the community.

Did you know? Under India’s Companies Act, 2013, larger companies must
spend at least 2% of their average net profit of the previous three years on CSR
activities such as education, health and the environment.

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Q5 In 1931, two brothers, Digambar and Govind Dandekar, started a small business in
South Mumbai selling ink powder. They began with limited resources, using recycled
glass bottles to sell liquid ink. At first, they faced financial problems and struggled to
convince customers to trust their products. Instead of giving up, they focused on
providing good-quality stationery at affordable prices. As the business grew, they
noticed that artists in India did not have access to good art materials. Seeing this as an
opportunity, they travelled to Glasgow to study colour chemistry and improve their
products. After returning to India, they set up a laboratory to develop colours and art
supplies suited to Indian needs. Over time, the company expanded into pencils,
crayons, geometry boxes, and paints, eventually becoming a well-known brand.
What entrepreneurial qualities did the Dandekar brothers display?
What opportunity did they identify in the market?
Was travelling to Glasgow a risky decision?
Which functional area helped the company improve its products?
How did they serve society apart from earning profits?

1. Qualities: perseverance (they did not give up despite money problems), resourcefulness
(recycled bottles), commitment to quality at fair prices, alertness to opportunity, willingness
to learn, and courage to take risks.
2. Opportunity: artists in India did not have access to good art materials, so there was an
unmet need for good colours and art supplies suited to Indian needs.
3. Glasgow: yes, it was risky. Travel abroad cost money and time for a small business already
short of funds, with no guarantee of success. It was a calculated risk that paid off in better
products.
4. Functional area: management and operations. The study of colour chemistry and the
laboratory improved production and quality.
5. Serving society: they gave students affordable, good-quality stationery and gave Indian
artists good materials suited to their needs, and their growing company created jobs.

The story follows Fig. 6.2 exactly. They identified a problem (no good art materials), took a
risk (Glasgow), made key decisions (a laboratory, new products), combined factors of
production (knowledge, workers, capital) and contributed to society (affordable
stationery).
It also shows a dynamic business plan: from ink powder to pencils, crayons, geometry
boxes and paints.

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Did you know? The company the Dandekar brothers built became the well-
known stationery and art-materials brand Camlin.

Q6 How do you think entrepreneurship is important for India’s goal of becoming a
developed nation by 2047?

Viksit Bharat 2047 is the goal of making India a fully developed nation by its 100th year of
independence. Entrepreneurship is central to it because:
Jobs: India has a large young population, and new businesses create the jobs and incomes
they need.
Innovation: startups in fin-tech, health-tech, agri-tech and e-commerce solve real problems
in payments, healthcare and farming.
Self-reliance: making goods in India supports Atmanirbhar Bharat and reduces
dependence on imports.
Growth and taxes: more production raises national income, and taxes fund roads, schools
and hospitals.
Inclusion: like Lijjat, enterprises can empower women and spread growth beyond big cities.
India is already the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world, with around 120 unicorns in
2025, so this energy can power the journey to 2047.

The chapter says that as India moves towards Viksit Bharat 2047, entrepreneurship “will
continue to play a vital role in creating employment, driving innovation, empowering
communities, and building a more prosperous, self-reliant, and sustainable nation”. The
government supports this through schemes such as Startup India.
A unicorn is a startup valued at over 1 billion US dollars. Major hubs include Bengaluru,
Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi NCR.

Tip: End with the chapter’s own line: “The next generation of entrepreneurs may
well be sitting in your classroom today.”

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Cost per glass = lemon 3 + sugar 1.50 + ice and water 1.50 + salt and mint 0.50 + paper
cup 1.50 = ₹8
Variable cost = 1,200 × 8 = ₹9,600
Fixed cost = stall fee 200 × 8 + equipment hire 1,500 + banner 300 = ₹3,400
Total cost = 9,600 + 3,400 = ₹13,000

Revenue = 1,200 × 15 = ₹18,000
Profit = 18,000 − 13,000 = ₹5,000 (₹1,250 for each of the four friends)

Break-even: each glass leaves 15 − 8 = ₹7 towards fixed costs, so 3,400 ÷ 7 ≈ 486
glasses must be sold before any profit is made.

Your own answer: The costs are sample figures. Check real prices in your local
market and change the numbers. Keep the same steps: cost per unit, number
sold, fixed costs, then profit.

Q8 Find out about various government schemes to promote entrepreneurs in India. Learn
about the eligibility requirements of these schemes. Prepare a write-up and discuss in
the class.

Write-up: Government schemes for entrepreneurs

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SCHEME WHAT IT OFFERS WHO IS ELIGIBLE (MAIN
CONDITIONS)

Startup India Official recognition, tax benefits for A private limited company, partnership
(2016) eligible startups, easier compliance, firm, LLP or cooperative society, not more
faster patent processing than 10 years old, turnover not above
₹200 crore in any year, working on
innovation

Startup India Early money for prototypes, trials and Startups recognised under Startup India
Seed Fund market entry and incorporated not more than 2 years
(2021) earlier

PM Mudra Loans without collateral in stages: Small non-farm, non-corporate
Yojana Shishu (up to ₹50,000), Kishore (up to businesses such as shops, tailors and
(2015) ₹5 lakh), Tarun (up to ₹10 lakh); Tarun food stalls
Plus (up to ₹20 lakh) for those who
have repaid a Tarun loan

Stand-Up Bank loans of ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore for a SC/ST and women entrepreneurs aged
India (2016) first-time (new) enterprise 18+; in a company, at least 51% owned by
them

For discussion: these schemes support Atmanirbhar Bharat by making it easier to get money,
recognition and guidance.

Two more worth adding: the Atal Innovation Mission (2016), which sets up Atal Tinkering
Labs in schools and incubation centres for startups; and the PMEGP (Prime Minister’s
Employment Generation Programme), run through the KVIC. It gives a subsidy on bank
loans for new micro enterprises to people aged 18+.
How to present it: one slide or paragraph per scheme, covering its purpose, the benefit,
eligibility, and how to apply (online portal or bank). End with which scheme suits which
kind of entrepreneur:
A student with a new tech idea: Atal Tinkering Lab now, Startup India later.
A tailor wanting a second machine: Mudra (Shishu).
A woman starting a small factory: Stand-Up India (in its revamped form).

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Check it yourself: Loan limits and rules are revised from time to time. For
example, the startup turnover limit was raised from ₹100 crore to ₹200 crore in
February 2026, and the original Stand-Up India scheme ran until 31 March
2025, with a revamped version announced in 2026. Take the latest eligibility
from the official portals (startupindia.gov.in, mudra.org.in, standupmitra.in)
before you present.

Q9 Take any popular brand and identify:
The problem it tackles
Its initial target customers
How it differentiated itself from other competitors or brands
The resources it may have started with

Brand: Amul (Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union, Anand, Gujarat, 1946)
Problem it tackled: small dairy farmers were being paid low prices by middlemen and
private dairies. Amul let farmers sell milk through their own cooperative and get a fair price.
Initial target customers: city milk consumers, chiefly through the Bombay Milk Scheme,
which bought milk to supply the city of Bombay (now Mumbai).
How it differentiated itself: it is owned by the farmers themselves; it offers good quality at
affordable prices; it found a way to make milk powder from buffalo milk; and its witty “Amul
girl” advertisements made the brand memorable.
Resources it started with: milk from small farmers in a few village cooperatives, very little
capital, the farmers’ unity, and a committed leader, Tribhuvandas Patel. Dr Verghese Kurien
joined in 1949 and built up the dairy.

Amul is like Lijjat: a cooperative where the producers are also the owners. Its model was
later copied across India during Operation Flood, which helped make India the world’s
largest milk producer.
Method for any brand: read the “About us” page of the company, a newspaper article or a
book, and fill the four points. Separate what is known (dates, founders) from what you
infer (“it may have started with…”).

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Your own answer: You can choose any brand, such as a shoe, biscuit, app or
local sweet shop. Keep the same four headings.

Q10 Over the next week, observe your daily routine at school and home. Identify 2–3
problems or inconveniences you or others face. For each problem, answer the
following questions in a tabular format:
Who faces this problem?
How often does it occur?
Why hasn’t it been solved yet?
What business idea could solve it?
Would people pay for your solution?

Sample observation table:

QUESTION PROBLEM 1: PROBLEM 2: OLD PROBLEM 3:
LONG CANTEEN TEXTBOOKS GRANDPARENTS STRUGGLE
QUEUE AT BREAK WASTED EACH WITH ONLINE BILL
YEAR PAYMENT

Who faces it? Students and Students and parents Elderly people at home
canteen staff

How often? Every school day Every April, when the Every month
session starts

Why not Orders and payment No easy way to find a Busy family members; fear of
solved? happen only at the buyer nearby online fraud
counter

Business idea Pre-order slips or BookLoop: a used- A trusted “digital helper” service
app; food packed textbook exchange run by trained youth
before the bell

Would people The canteen may Yes, half-price books Yes, a small monthly fee for safe
pay? pay for a simple save families money help
system

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Q11 Think of your startup idea and fill in the business plan template given below:

PART OF THE WHAT IT ASKS
TEMPLATE

a. Business idea Name of the company or shop; Product/service; Tagline (optional)

b. Entrepreneur Founder(s); Why did you choose this business idea? What
profile problem does your business solve?

c. Target customers Who will buy your product or service? ☐ Students ☐ Parents ☐
Local residents ☐ Tourists ☐ Farmers ☐ Businesses ☐ Others:
____. Describe your target customers.

d. Market research Table — Question | Findings: What do the customers need? What
products or services already exist? How is your idea different?

e. Product or Describe your product or service. List its key features and
service description benefits.

f. Resources Table — Resource | What is needed and how much?: Human
required Resources; Finance; Materials; Technology; Infrastructure

g. Operations plan How will the business work? Write the steps. You may depict this
using a flow chart.

h. Marketing plan How will customers learn about your business? ☐ Posters ☐
Social media ☐ Word of mouth ☐ School events ☐ Local market ☐
Newspapers ☐ Other: ____

i. Financial plan Source(s) of finance; Estimated monthly cost (Item | Cost (₹) |
Total Cost); Expected monthly revenue (Source of Income |
Amount (₹) | Total Revenue); Expected Profit: Revenue – Cost = ₹
____

j. Risks and What challenges might your business face?
challenges

k. Social and How will your business help people or the environment?
environmental
impact

l. Conclusion Why do you believe your business will succeed?

Business plan template, pages 142–144 (blank in the book)

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Sample filled template: BookLoop
a. Business idea: BookLoop; buying and selling used school textbooks; tagline “Pass it on,
save it on”.
b. Profile: founders are three Class 9 friends. We chose it because every April good
textbooks are thrown away while new ones are costly. It solves high book costs and paper
waste.
c. Customers: students and parents. Classes 6–12 in our town, mostly price-conscious
families.
d. Market research: customers want cheaper books in good condition; only new-book
shops and scrap dealers exist; we check, grade and deliver books, which is new.
e. Product/service: books graded A or B, sold at 50% of printed price; sellers get 30%;
optional brown-paper covering.
f. Resources: 3 founders and 1 delivery helper; ₹6,500 a month for fixed costs; shelves and
covers; a phone with WhatsApp and a spreadsheet; a rented corner of a shop.
g. Operations: collect → check and grade → price → list on WhatsApp → sell and deliver →
pay the seller.
h. Marketing: posters, social media, word of mouth, school events.
i. Financial plan: savings plus ₹5,000 from parents. Cost ₹26,000; revenue ₹33,000;
expected profit ₹7,000 a month (peak season).
j. Risks: syllabus changes, damaged books, slow months.
k. Impact: cheaper books for families, less paper waste.
l. Conclusion: real demand every year, low costs, and a clear saving for customers.

i. Financial plan in full (one peak month, April)

ITEM COST (₹)

Payment to sellers: 400 books × ₹45 18,000

Rent for shop corner 3,000

Delivery helper 2,000

Book-cover material: 150 × ₹10 1,500

Posters and printing 1,000

Miscellaneous 500

Total Cost 26,000

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

SOURCE OF INCOME AMOUNT (₹)

Sale of used books: 400 × ₹75 (half of an average ₹150 price) 30,000

Book covering service: 150 × ₹20 3,000

Total Revenue 33,000

Expected Profit = Revenue – Cost = 33,000 – 26,000 = ₹7,000

g. Operations plan as a flow chart: Seller drops off books → we check pages and binding
→ grade A/B and fix the price → photograph and list on our WhatsApp group → buyer
orders → helper delivers and collects payment by UPI or cash → seller is paid 30% of the
printed price.
j. Risks in detail: a syllabus change makes old editions useless, so we accept only the
current edition. Damaged books are refused at the checking step. Sales are slow outside
April to June, so in those months we will also sell storybooks and novels. Paying sellers on
time builds trust.

Your own answer: Use your own idea from Q10 and real local prices. Every
number in part (i) must be shown as a calculation.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q12 Visit a factory or a production unit. Explore how a business operates by visiting a
factory or production unit that manufactures a product. Prepare questions for the
owner or manager, such as:
What product does the factory produce?
Who are its customers?
How did the business start?
What challenges did the business face in its early years?
How does the business manage its finances?
How are employees recruited and trained?
How are products supplied to wholesalers, retailers, or consumers?
During the visit, observe the production process carefully. Note the resources used,
such as raw materials, machinery and technology, workers, and managers. Interact
with the owner or manager and record key information. Take notes and photographs
(if permitted).
After the visit:
Understand the manufacturing process and create a process map showing the
journey of the product from raw materials to the final customer.
Identify barriers to growth, such as: Financial Barriers: lack of capital, difficulty
obtaining loans or credit, etc.; Technical Barriers: outdated machinery, limited
access to technology, etc.; Human Resource Barriers: skill shortages, difficulty
hiring or retaining workers, etc.; Market Barriers: competition, limited access to
suppliers or customers, etc.; Regulatory Barriers: complex procedures,
licences, approvals, or paperwork, etc.
Recommend some practical solutions through which the business could overcome
these challenges. Share your findings by preparing a presentation and a report
highlighting your observations, analysis, and recommendations. The format of the
report may be as follows:
Introduction
Production or service delivery process (with diagrams or flowcharts)
Resources required
Barriers identified (supported by observations or evidence)
Suggested solutions
Reflection: key lessons learned from the visit

Sample report: visit to a small exercise-notebook unit (illustrative)
1. Introduction: a family-run unit with about 20 workers that makes ruled notebooks. Its
customers are wholesalers and stationery shops. It started with one cutting machine, and its
early problems were small orders and late payments.
2. Process:

Page 38 of 42

ase
Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups
ag l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

m
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3. Resources: paper reels, board,
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4–5. Barriers and solutions:
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BARRIER EVIDENCE SOLUTION
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Before the visit: get permission
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safety rules near machines, and photograph only where allowed.
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ag l Page 39 of 42

Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

During the visit: write down each step in order, the machine used, how many workers do
it, and where waste appears. Those notes become the process map and the evidence
column.
Linking to the chapter: raw-material buying and quality checks are operations; payments
and loans are finance; recruiting and training are human resources; supplying shops and
competing with brands is marketing and sales.
Presentation: 6 slides, one for each heading of the report, with the process map as the
centrepiece.

Your own answer: This report is a sample. Your report must describe the unit
you actually visited, with the owner’s real answers as evidence for each barrier.

Chapter at a glance
Entrepreneurship is the process by which a person or group converts an idea into a
business venture. It involves planning, organising and learning by doing, as in a school
nimbu pani stall.
An entrepreneur identifies a problem, takes risks with money and time, makes key
decisions, combines the factors of production, and contributes to society (Fig. 6.2).
Stories of enterprise: the Jataka tale of the dead mouse; Lijjat Papad, started with ₹80 in
1959 and grown to 45,000+ women members and ₹1,600 crore turnover by 2023; Mohan
Singh Oberoi, a ₹50-a-month clerk who built a world-famous hotel group.
A business plan is a written blueprint covering needs and idea, customers, money and
costs, location, human resources, pricing and profits, promotion, and challenges and risks
(Fig. 6.6).
The four functional areas are management and operations, finance and accounting, human
resources, and marketing and sales. They must work together.
Profit = Total Revenue – Total Expenses. ABC Bakery: ₹2,95,000 – ₹2,22,000 = ₹73,000
before tax and ₹60,000 after ₹13,000 tax. Fixed costs stay the same; variable costs change
with output.
Traditional communities such as the Chettiars of Tamil Nadu traded across Southeast Asia,
relying on trust-based lending, good accounts and reinvestment in society.
India is the third-largest startup ecosystem (around 120 unicorns in 2025). Schemes such
as Startup India support Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047; failure is a lesson, not
a disgrace.

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Quick revision
TERM WHAT IT MEANS WHERE IT WHAT THE CHAPTER
APPEARS IN THE SAYS ABOUT IT
CHAPTER

Entrepreneurship Turning an idea into a Opening, page 125 Captures planning, organising
business venture and learning by doing

Profit Money earned after paying Margin, page 125; Profit = Total Revenue – Total
the costs of producing and Fig. 6.11 Expenses
selling

Cooperative A business owned equally Lijjat Papad, pages Equal ownership; profits
by its members 127–128 shared equally regardless of
seniority

Mortgage A loan to buy a house or Oberoi, page 128 Oberoi mortgaged his wife’s
land, against collateral jewellery in 1934 to buy a
hotel

Business plan A written blueprint of goals Pages 129–132, Fig. Roadmap for decisions;
and steps 6.6 covers eight key
considerations

Functional areas Departments focusing on Fig. 6.9, page 133 Operations, finance, HR,
distinct tasks marketing work together

Fixed and variable cost Costs that stay constant Margins, page 134 Rent is fixed; ingredients and
versus costs that change packaging are variable
with output

Revenue Total money earned from Page 134; Fig. 6.11 ABC Bakery earned ₹2,95,000
main operations or sales in a month

Profit and loss account A statement showing profit Fig. 6.11, page 135 PBT ₹73,000; tax ₹13,000;
or loss over a period PAT ₹60,000

Inventory Goods and materials held Margin, page 132 Perishable inventory must be
for production or resale managed carefully in a bakery

Chettiars A traditional trading and Page 137 Trust-based lending, record-
banking community of keeping, reinvestment in
Tamil Nadu society

Startup and unicorn A young innovative Page 138 India is third-largest
company; one valued over ecosystem, about 120
1 billion dollars unicorns in 2025

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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 15 From Ideas to Startups AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

TERM WHAT IT MEANS WHERE IT WHAT THE CHAPTER
APPEARS IN THE SAYS ABOUT IT
CHAPTER

Atmanirbhar Bharat / Self-reliance policy (2020); Margins, page 138 Entrepreneurship drives jobs,
Viksit Bharat 2047 developed-nation goal by innovation and self-reliance
2047

CSR Corporate social Fig. 6.13, page 139 Business contributes to
responsibility education, environment and
healthcare

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