An Exploratory Study on Career Aspirations and Self- Esteem Among the Conflict Affected Youth of Manipur

The aim of the study is to explore the relationship between self-esteem and career aspirations among the youth of a conflict-ridden state - Manipur. Here, researchers attempt to explore the kind of aspirations the youth from Manipur have pertaining to their career and then find out the relationship between self-esteem and their career aspirations. The sample comprises individuals staying in the state of Manipur only (N = 122 in the age group of 18 to 35 years, with slightly more males (N = 69) as compared to females (N = 52). Data have been analysed in two stages viz. correlations between variables have been calculated for finding associations among them. In the next stage, linear regression analysis is carried out between independent variable, self esteem and career aspirations(dependent variables) and then again using same regression technique , self esteem and three sub-dimensions of career aspirations i.e. achievement aspirations, leadership aspirations and educational aspirations are analysed . The study also explores influence of gender on relationship between self-esteem and career aspirations as well as attempts were also made to qualitatively identify the most and least ideal careers that Manipur youth aspire for; while civil services and teaching are the most ideal, politics and medicine are the least ideal choice for them. Regarding what career opportunities are available to them in the state, medical, teaching, entrepreneurship, engineering and civil services emerged as the most frequently identified. As in findings of research, self-esteem is a significant predictor of career aspirations and its three dimensions among the youth of Manipur; there is a need for future researchers to explore other variables also that may have an important bearing on the variables of interest in this study.