Achievement Motivation as a Predictor of Academic Success among Tribal Students: An Empirical Study From Keonjhar District, Odisha

The tribal communities in India, moulded by centuries of socio-cultural exclusion and marginalisation, continue to face significant educational disadvantages despite constitutional safeguards and welfare initiatives. Although tribal literacy rates have improved over time, disparities persist between tribal and non-tribal populations—particularly in regions like Odisha and districts such as Keonjhar. Achievement motivation emerges as a crucial intrinsic factor that can empower tribal students to overcome challenges and enhance academic performance. The relationship between achievement motivation and academic performance was studied among 200 tribal secondary school students in Keonjhar district, Odisha. The findings reveal moderate to high levels of achievement motivation, with a statistically significant positive correlation (r = .403, p < .01) between motivation and academic performance, reinforcing previous research highlighting the critical role of intrinsic motivation in academic success. It is thus evident that enhancing achievement motivation can significantly improve educational outcomes among tribal students. Hence, future educational policies and programmes should not only address structural and systemic disparities but also focus on fostering internal motivational factors through student-centred pedagogies, structured goal-setting, and inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments.