The Research Dialogue

Author :Dr. Mohd Shakeel

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64880/theresearchdialogue.v4i3.28

Abstract

The present study is an attempt to study the educational aspirations and career selection of secondary school students in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The study was conducted on a multistage stratified sample of 300 students of Class 10 (150 boys and 150 girls; 150 urban and 150 rural) from government and private secondary schools of Jammu and Kashmir divisions using a descriptive survey design. The data were collected through standard tools such as the Educational Aspiration Scale and the Career Preference Inventory. Statistical analyses consisted of independent samples t-tests and chi-square tests of independence. The results revealed that female students had slightly higher educational aspirations than male students, but the difference was not statistically significant. Urban students had much higher educational aspirations than rural students. A clear gender and regional split came to the fore in the vocational trajectories; men preferred engineering, defence, and technical disciplines while women favoured healthcare, school teaching and civil services. Students from cities asked for new private sector courses, while the youth in rural areas asked for secure government jobs. The findings indicate the need for the urgent establishment of organised career guidance cells and balanced learning resources within the region’s secondary schools.

Keywords: Educational Aspirations, Career Choices, Gender Disparity, Secondary Schools