1Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Community Science, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, Guntur, 522034, Andhra Pradesh, India
2National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities, Manovikas Nagar, Bowenpally, Secunderabad, 500009, Telangana, India
3Department of Statistics and Computer Applications, Agricultural College, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Bapatla, 522101, Andhra Pradesh, India
*Email for correspondence: babyniharika125@gmail.com
Online published on 17 September, 2025.
This study, adopting an ex-post facto research design, explored the perceived levels of parental and peer pressure among 200 adolescents (100 NEET and 100 JEE aspirants) purposively selected from colleges in the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. The findings revealed that both parental and peer pressure were widespread and significant factors in the lives of these students, with a notable absence of low-level pressure. A distinct and alarming gender disparity was observed across the board: female aspirants consistently reported higher levels of both parental and peer pressure than their male counterparts. While boys were more likely to perceive a medium level of pressure, a majority of girls felt high pressure. This indicates that female students in this high-stakes environment bear a significantly greater emotional burden, highlighting a critical area for targeted support.
Competitive exams, Gender disparity, NEET, JEE, Parental pressure, Peer pressure
