Boys in India have better access to career-related information, while less than 10% of students utilize or are aware of career guidance services, according to a new UNICEF report.

The Second Edition of the Bharat Career Aspiration Report 2024 (BCAR) tracks career awareness and access to professional counselling among secondary and higher secondary students from low-income families. Released on Thursday, it is published by UNICEF YuWaah and iDreamCareer, based on a survey conducted from August to December 2023, involving 4,968 students from classes 9-12 across 25 states.

The report found only 9.36% of respondents had received career guidance services prior to the study and were aware of such services. Career awareness was measured at basic and advanced levels, with boys showing better access to career-related information as they advanced in education.

Regarding career choices, 2,999 students expressed interest in professional careers and 704 in vocational careers. Among the professional career aspirants, 62.42% were female. For vocational careers, 56.25% were female. Family members (30%) and school teachers (13%) were identified as top influencers in career decisions.

Government and defense services were the top career choices for both genders. Female students also preferred medical science and teaching, while male students leaned towards engineering and technology. For vocational careers, female students favored beauty and wellness, followed by defense and government services, while male students preferred defense, government services, and sports and fitness.

UNICEF’s global Generation Unlimited (GenU) movement, launched in 2018, aims to expand learning, skill development, employment, and engagement opportunities for young people. The India chapter, YuWaah, was launched in November 2019.

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