Enabling Academic Leadership
A Report on Student Interests and Aptitudes in India
This report offers a comprehensive analysis of student interests and aptitudes across five Indian states, utilizing data from the Shyamchi Aai Foundation's (SAF) Kal Chachni interest test and aptitude test, conducted in collaboration with Leadership for Equity (LFE). The study focuses on students who took the State School Leaving Certificate (SSC) exams in 2017-18, providing valuable insights into their preferred career paths and inherent potential.
Key Learnings
This report was commissioned by SAF in collaboration with LFE to serve as a preliminary step towards developing a sectoral indicator on student interests and aspirations, mapping them to available opportunities after secondary education.
The key learnings include:
Commerce is the most sought-after field: It's the top choice across all five states, especially among female students.
Fine Arts resonates with male students: It's the preferred domain for males across all states.
Technical fields are less favored: They are the least preferred overall.
Female students show more interest in Agriculture, Commerce, Technical, and Uniformed Services than male students.
Male students show more interest in Arts, Fine Arts, and Health & Life Sciences than female students.
There are significant variations in interest patterns across states and districts.
Maharashtra's opportunity mismatch: Opportunities in Maharashtra are skewed towards Arts and Humanities, Technical, and Health & Life Sciences, with limited options in Agriculture and Uniformed Services.
Aptitude distribution in Madhya Pradesh: There's no clear distinction in aptitude levels across different interest fields in Madhya Pradesh.
Many students lack strong interests: A significant proportion (30%) of students don't score above the 50th percentile in any interest field.
Theme
Empowering India's youth with data-driven career guidance.
.jpg)
_JPG.jpg)
The Hope
This report serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, educators, and stakeholders involved in shaping educational and vocational programs. By understanding student preferences and regional needs, they can design programs that better align with the aspirations of India's youth. The report also underscores the importance of career guidance and the need for more comprehensive data collection and analysis in this domain.