Importance of Interest and Aptitude in Career Choice among the Junior College Students

The present study aims to investigate career choice among junior college students with a focus on interest and aptitude. The sample consisted of 100 students (50 boys and 50 girls) from the Jalgaon district, selected using a non-probability purposive sampling method. The tools used were the Multi-Factor Interest Inventory and Davis’s Battery of Differential Abilities (DBDA). Statistical analysis revealed significant gender differences in interest and aptitude dimensions. Boys showed higher scores in business, clerical, agricultural, mechanical, scientific, and outdoor dimensions, while girls scored higher in artistic, musical, social, and more potent verbal and clerical dimensions. Boys also demonstrated higher aptitude in reasoning, numerical ability, and mechanical information, whereas girls showed higher aptitude in language usage and clerical speed and accuracy. The study concludes that career choice is influenced by interest and aptitude, and recommends career counseling and guidance for junior college students.