Student Voices Matter: A Deep Dive into their Satisfaction Levels in Higher Education Institutions of North-East…

Student Satisfaction (SS) has become a critical indicator of institutional performance in higher education globally, including India.The North-East region, though rich in cultural diversity, faces challenges such as geographical isolation, infrastructural limitations, and socio-economic disparities, which influence the quality of higher education.This study investigates the factors influencing SS among university students in the North-East states, adopting a quantitative, comparative design.A purposive sample of 112 students (75 from public and 37 from private universities) participated in the survey.Data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from Ali and Jha's (2013) Student's Institution Satisfaction Scale, covering seven dimensions: academic service, campus facilities, curriculum relevance, professional conduct, infrastructure, library resources, and career opportunities.Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) identified seven valid factors, explaining 77.2% of the total variance, with high internal consistency ( = .955).Findings highlight stronger SS with academic services and faculty conduct but relatively weaker perceptions of career opportunities and campus facilities.These insights underscore the importance of continuous service quality improvement for enhancing student-centered higher education in the region.