Volume-XI, Issue-I, January 2025 |
Exploring Career Preferences among Secondary School Students: A survey Saroj Senapati, Assistant Professor, Annapurna Memorial College of Education, West Bengal, India Gopal Jana, Assistant Professor, Sukdev Brahmachari Institute of Education, West Bengal, India Gobinda Mondal, Research Scholar, Department of Education, Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India |
Received: 30.11.2024 | Accepted: 25.12.2024 | Published Online: 31.01.2025 | Page No: 109-117 | ||||
DOI: 10.29032/ijhsss.vol.11.issue.01W.013 | |||||||
ABSTRACT | ||
This study investigates the career preferences of secondary school students in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, emphasizing the influence of gender, type of educational institution, and academic stream. Utilizing a cross-sectional survey design, a random sample of 200 students was selected, and the Career Preference Record (CPR) was employed to assess vocational interests across ten domains. Independent sample t-tests revealed that female students exhibited significantly higher career preferences than male students, private school attendees outperformed government school counterparts, and science stream students demonstrated superior career preferences compared to those in the arts stream. These findings highlight significant disparities influenced by gender, institutional resources, and academic orientation, aligning with existing literature while also revealing unique regional dynamics. The results underscore the necessity for targeted educational policies and enhanced career counseling services, particularly in government schools and non-STEM streams, to ensure equitable career development opportunities. By addressing these factors, educators and policymakers can better support students in making informed and fulfilling career choices, contributing to regional socio-economic advancement. Keywords: Career Preferences, Secondary Education, Gender Differences, Educational Institutions. |