Vocational interest in science and technology of higher secondary pupils with reference to parental academic qualification and occupation

Selection of a career for higher study has become a quite important task for the parents. The maximum people prefer to educate their children in technical and professional skilled vocations rather than any academic stream. Instead of students’ own liking, the choice of the parents in choosing profession for their offspring results in wastage. The pupils are compelled to pursue on a career being forced by parents is the main clarion call in the present context. To come to a concluding answer on this question, the investigator conducted a study on this matter. The sample for the study comprised boys and girls from +2 Science classes of the junior colleges of Cuttack district with random sampling procedure. The Interest Inventory of Samal (1977) and Parental Education and Occupation were estimated by a questionnaire developed by the investigator. Relationship study and intra variable analysis was done through appropriate statistics. The findings of the study indicate no influence of parental education and occupation in developing scientific inertest. Girls showed higher degree of scientific interest compared to boys in both urban and rural areas.