A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MILITARY AND CIVILIAN CAREER ASPIRATIONS AMONG INDIAN STUDENTS

The correct decision concerning the right career choice is critical. The career chosen must be in line with the expectations, else will result in a waste of efforts and resources. This article explored factors influencing correct career choice and at finding factors those influence students' career choices and whether youth take a career in the Indian armed forces as a prime option over other career choices. This study used qualitative methods to explore Maslow’s motivational theory application to armed forces careers, to find the aspirations, and build a theoretical framework for choices of careers. The study used the purposive sampling method to explore the students' choices. PLS-SEM and Anova (Post-Hock Tu-key tests) are used for data validation and analysis. The research finds armed forces are unable to entice eligible young people to join them as students are not inclined towards a career in the armed forces, in present conditions. The correct decision for the right career choice is important for any student and it has a significant impact on his future life and accomplishments. The wider choices available made it difficult to choose the correct path as intricately inter wound influencing factors are plenty. There exists an imperative need and requirement exists to undertake necessary steps by the government to make the armed forces, a front-line choice.