Cultivating agricultural career intentions through behavioral drivers among students

This study applies the Theory of Planned Behavior to examine factors influencing Indian students’ intentions to pursue agricultural careers. Conducting a survey of 285 students from two universities via Google Forms, it analyzes proclivity for five career paths: Government jobs, Researcher/Professor, Farming, Agripreneurship, and civil services using multinomial logistic regression. Government jobs emerged as the most preferred, shaped by positive attitudes and perceived social norms. Language competency correlated with interest in farming and Agripreneurship, while self-efficacy negatively influenced structured roles. Gender and institutional background significantly affected choices. The findings underscore the role of psychological readiness and socio-cultural context in career decisions. The study recommends career awareness programs, attitude-building initiatives, and land-leasing schemes to promote youth engagement in agriculture.