Boys in India have better access to career information says UNICEF report
Family members (30%) and school teachers (13%) were identified as the top influencers in career-related decision-making for both male and female students.
Boys in India tend to have better access to career-related information compared to girls, with less than 10% of students using or even aware of career guidance services, according to a new UNICEF report. The Second Edition of the Bharat Career Aspiration Report 2024 (BCAR), released by UNICEF YuWaah and iDreamCareer, surveyed 4,968 students from classes 9-12 across 25 states over five months (August-December 2023).
The report tracks aspiration potential, career awareness, and accessibility of professional career counselling among secondary and higher-secondary students from low-income families. It revealed that only 9.36% of the total respondents had received career guidance services before the study.
The study measured career awareness among students at two levels: basic and advanced. It found that boys generally have better access to career-related information, especially as they advance in their education.
Popular Vocational Careers for Male and Female Students
“On career choices, out of 4,968 respondents, 2,999 students expressed interest in professional careers, and 704 were interested in vocational careers. Among these, 62.42% of female students chose professional careers, and 56.25% chose vocational careers, both higher percentages compared to their male counterparts,” the report stated.
Family members (30%) and school teachers (13%) were identified as the top influencers in career-related decision-making for both male and female students.
“Among the 21 professional career clusters, government and defence services emerged as the top career choice for both genders. Female respondents also preferred medical science and teaching, while male respondents leaned towards engineering and technology,” the report noted.
For vocational careers, the top choices for female students were beauty and wellness, defence, security and government services, and sports and fitness. Male students preferred defence, security and government services, sports and fitness, and business operations and entrepreneurship.
In 2018, UNICEF launched the global Generation Unlimited (GenU) movement under the UN Youth Policy 2030 to address the urgent needs of young people aged 10-24, focusing on expanding learning, skill development, employment, and engagement opportunities. The India chapter of Generation Unlimited, YuWaah, was launched in November 2019.
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