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July 17, 2026Open Access

Career aspirations of tribal secondary school students in Central India explored using demographic analysis and Holland RIASEC theory

AIAbhishek Kumar IndwarNational Institute of Technology Raipur CRChetna Sharma RajputNational Institute of Technology Raipur

Key Points

This research aims to understand the vocational interests of tribal secondary school students in Chhattisgarh, India, and how demographic factors influence these interests.
Cross-sectional design with multi-stage cluster random sampling utilized.
Structured questionnaire assessed career preferences in six RIASEC domains.
Analysis determined gender and family type differences in career aspirations.
Females showed a preference for Artistic, Enterprising, and Realistic careers, while males preferred Social, Realistic, and Enterprising.
Students from joint families favored Enterprising and Conventional interests, whereas nuclear family students leaned toward Realistic and Investigative domains.
The RIASEC model's hexagonal structure was largely confirmed, supporting its cross-cultural applicability.

Abstract

This study examined vocational interests of 165 tribal secondary school students in Chhattisgarh, India, using Holland’s RIASEC model. A cross-sectional design with multi-stage cluster random sampling was employed, and a structured questionnaire assessed career preferences across six domains: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Results indicated significant differences by gender and family type. Females favoured Artistic, Enterprising, and Realistic careers, whereas males preferred Social, Realistic, and Enterprising domains. Students from joint families showed stronger Enterprising and Conventional tendencies, while nuclear-family students leaned toward Realistic and Investigative interests. The hexagonal structure of RIASEC was largely supported, confirming cross-cultural applicability. Findings highlight the influence of demographic factors on vocational preferences and underscore the need for culturally responsive career guidance in tribal education. Implications for policy, curriculum development, and SDG-4-aligned interventions are discussed, providing actionable insights for enhancing equity and engagement in marginalized communities.

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