§1What this business is
A drawing board is a flat rectangular board used for technical drawing in offices and by students of ITIs, polytechnics and engineering colleges. Timber or boards are sawn, planed, jointed, sanded and finished with simple woodworking machines. Sales peak at admission time each year.
Capacity: 2,400 boards a year at ₹1,700 each (cost value ₹41.98 L).
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A carpenter or furniture maker near engineering colleges and ITIs.
Who it is not for
Someone relying on this one product alone.
Advantages
- Simple woodworking with low machinery cost (₹2.05 L)
- Steady institutional demand from technical colleges
- Machines can make other wooden items
- Bulk orders from institutions and stationery dealers
Drawbacks
- Demand is falling as drawing moves to computers (CAD)
- Seasonal sales at admission time
- Timber is costly and needs seasoning
- Low margin in the profile
Skills you need
- Woodworking and finishing
- Timber buying and seasoning
- Bulk order handling
- Selling to institutions and stationery dealers
Why difficulty 2/5: Simple woodwork; the worry is a shrinking market.
§3Market
Who buys
- Students of ITIs, polytechnics and engineering colleges
- Drawing offices
How it sells
- Stationery and drawing-instrument shops near colleges
- Bulk supply to institutions
Good to know
- The profile says drawing boards are widely used by technical students and drawing offices.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 12-inch heavy-duty machine with 2 HP electric motor | 1 | — |
| Planer, 300 × 150 mm, with motor | 1 | — |
| Jointer planer, 150 mm blade, 1 HP motor | 1 | — |
| Bench drilling machine | 1 | — |
| Portable disc sander | 1 | — |
| Bench grinder, 8-inch wheel | 1 | — |
| Hand tools, vices, tables, jigs and fixtures, electrification, office furniture | 1 lot | — |
| All equipment (profile total) | 1 set | ₹2.05 lakh |
From: KVIC Project Profile — DRAWING BOARDS (PMEGP)
- Timber / wooden boardsraw material ₹34.80 L a year at full capacity
- Labels and packing material₹30,000 a year
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- Trade licence
- Proof of legal timber source (transit pass where the state requires it)
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
PMEGP and MUDRA fit the ₹9.05 L project; CGTMSE for collateral-free cover.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: KVIC profile: equipment ₹2,05,000 (12-inch heavy-duty machine with 2 HP motor, planer, jointer planer, bench drill, disc sander, bench grinder, hand tools and vices, electrification, jigs, office furniture) + working capital ₹7,00,000 = ₹9,05,000. Land own; workshed not costed.
Working capital: Working capital ₹7.00 L — timber stock (raw material ₹34.80 L a year).
Year not printed on the KVIC profile — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Export council / board: Not verified yet
- No HS code has been checked for this product yet; confirm with DGFT before exporting.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Shift to computer-aided drawing
- Timber price rises
- Warping in humid weather
- Seasonal unsold stock
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working drawing boards unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam, GST), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Drawing Boards?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.