Motivational issues of engineering students in current times: An empirical study in Indian context

Pages: 279-286
Ritu Sharma (Department, Psychology, School of Liberal Studies, Pandit Deendayal, Petroleum University, Gujarat)
Arnjit Das (Independent Researcher, Gujarat)
Shachi Barot (School of Liberal Studies, Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat)

Motivation is defined as the inner state of an individual that causes him to activate and engage in a behavior. Motivation, such as in this case, is a prime reason for a person to successfully achieve an a certain goal. This study focuses on the goal of ensuring optimal educational performance and solving pressing engineering problems through the agency of knowledge and personal effort. The unachieved of this goal manifests itself in anxiety and despair for students on the one hand and frustration for teachers on the other. Consultations with engineering professors reveal that the trend of declining motivation among engineering students is more common than previously thought and may indicate the existence of a psychosocial cause for declining employability and performance in core engineering jobs, besides policy and funding related issues. The precursor to the larger issue of drop-outs and shortage of engineering talent is truancy in college, severe neglect of academics and loss of interest in classroom modules. The main focus of this study is to examine the most recurring reasons for dilatory behavior in engineering colleges, failure to seek employment in core engineering jobs and reasons for joining engineering courses in the first place. Findings highlights motivational issues faced by new-generation Indians enrolled in premium institutes as engineering students which can be considered in charting new changes in engineering education in changing times.