Home Environment and Career Maturity among Higher Secondary Students in Assam: A Descriptive Survey and Four Case Studies
Manashi Hajarika *
PM Shri Bordubi HS School, Assam, India.
Asomi Chaliha
Department of Education, Dibrugarh University, Assam, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Career maturity and readiness for occupational decisions develop within educational, family and social contexts. This study described locally tabulated career-maturity questionnaire scores and examined reports of home-based academic and career support in four contrasting cases.
Methods: A descriptive survey involved 840 higher secondary students from 42 institutions in Nagaon District, Assam (18 urban and 24 rural institutions); students were recruited purposively within the institutions. Two higher- and two lower-scoring respondents were selected for case descriptions based on student, caregiver and neighbour accounts.
Results: The most frequent score interval was 10–14 (479 students; 57.02%), followed by 15–19 (217; 25.83%), 5–9 (138; 16.43%), 20–24 (4; 0.48%) and 0–4 (2; 0.24%). The case accounts differed in the specificity of academic guidance, career discussions, educational resources and future planning.
Conclusion: The findings describe local questionnaire scores and selected family experiences without establishing survey-wide associations or causal effects. The purposive student sample, limited case selection and incompletely documented scoring of the Assamese-adapted questionnaire constrain interpretation.
Keywords: Career maturity, career choice readiness, family support, home environment, higher secondary education, Assam, case studies