A Comparative Assessment of Agricultural Students on Career Aspiration among Public and Private Universities

ATREYEE SARKAR; Litan Das; Sabita Mondal; Prabhat Kumar Pal; Saumyadip  Chakraborty; Swapnamay  Ghosh; SK Mahabub  Alam; Praveen Kumar Marimuthu; Avirup  Das; Dipankar Barai

doi:10.48165/IJEE.2026.62426

Authors

Atreyee Sarkar Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165
Litan Das Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165
Sabita Mondal Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165
Prabhat Kumar Pal Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165
Saumyadip Chakraborty Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165
Swapnamay Ghosh Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165
SK Mahabub Alam Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165
Praveen Kumar Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165
Avirup Das Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165
Dipankar Barai Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Plant Pathology, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal -736165

https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2026.62426

Keywords:

Achievement motivation, Agricultural undergraduates, Career aspiration, ICT skills, Entrepreneurship training, Institutional differences

Abstract

Career aspiration played a crucial role in developing human capital for the rapidly evolving economy. Despite the rapid expansion of agricultural education in India, limited empirical evidence exists on differences in career aspiration across institutional setting in agricultural higher education. The present study explored the institutional differences and other attributes on career aspiration of agricultural students in West Bengal. The present cross-sectional study compared five dimensions of career aspiration among 120 agricultural students from six purposively selected universities, with 20 students randomly selected from each institution. Data was collected through a structured personal interview method and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Z-test, correlation and multiple regression analysis. The findings highlighted significant differences between public and private university students in educational, self-employment and social aspiration dimensions, whereas job and economic aspirations did not differ significantly. Achievement motivation, ICT skills, information seeking behaviour, mass media exposure, and entrepreneurship training exposure were significantly associated with career aspiration across dimensions. Multiple regression analysis revealed that achievement motivation, ICT skills, mass media exposure and entrepreneurship training exposure significantly predicted career aspiration, explaining 54.2% of the variance. The findings suggested the need for institutional collaborations, entrepreneurship-oriented learning, and digital competencies to strengthen career aspiration.

Author Biographies

Litan Das, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165

Assistant Professor, Agricultural Extension, UBKV.
Sabita Mondal, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165

Assistant Professor, Agricultural Extension, UBKV
Prabhat Kumar Pal, Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165

Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165
Saumyadip Chakraborty, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, UBKV
Swapnamay Ghosh, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, UBKV
SK Mahabub Alam, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, UBKV
Praveen Kumar, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, UBKV
Avirup Das, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal, 736165

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, UBKV
Dipankar Barai , Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Plant Pathology, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Coochbehar, West Bengal -736165

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Plant Pathology, UBKV

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