STUDY OF GENDER DIFFERENCE IN CAREER MATURITY OF RURAL AND URBAN STUDENTS

Career maturity is reflected by an individual's mature behavior in coping with the tasks of career development, compared with that of others dealing with the same tasks (Super & Bohn, 1970). It is generally accepted as comprising both cognitive and affective components. The cognitive component is consisted of decision-making skills; the affective component includes attitudes toward the career decision-making process. This study examined the gender difference in career maturity of rural and urban students. Sample consisted of 640 10th class students [320 Boys: 160 rural (80 Muslim and 80 non-Muslim) & 160 urban (80 Muslim and 80 non-Muslim) and 320 Girls: 160 rural (80 Muslim and 80 non-Muslim) & 160 urban (80 Muslim and 80 non-Muslim)] selected from government high schools of Darbhanga City. Tool for collecting the data included Crites' Career Maturity Inventory. Statistical analyses were performed using descriptive and inferential statistics to study the gender difference between students (boys & girls; rural & urban and Muslim & Non-Muslim) on the measure of career maturity. The findings of the study revealed that hypotheses H1, H2, H3, H7 and H9 are fully accepted while hypotheses H4, H5, H6 and H8 are partially accepted. The present findings suggest that research needs to be complemented by examining differences in the between-group experiences that families from various social status and locale are able to provide for their children. That is, what are the experiences and conditions that families from certain groups provide that allow their children's aspirations to be expanded into higher vocational and career attainment.