Academic Goal Orientation Among Undergraduates: A Comparative Study of Community Science and Agriculture Students

Students’ learning behaviours, perseverance and academic achievement are significantly influenced by their academic goal orientation. The purpose of the study was to examine and compare undergraduate students’ academic goal orientations across six State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) in India who were enrolled in Community Science and Agriculture programs. Through random sampling, 600 undergraduate students from the second, third and fourth years of degree were chosen, 300 from each discipline. A self-structured, pre-tested interview schedule was used to gather the data and SPSS software with statistical tools like frequencies, percentages, t-tests, mean scores and standard deviation was used for analysis. The results showed that the two groups had significant differences in goal orientations. Students studying in Agriculture displayed a higher mastery approach orientation, suggesting a higher emphasis on learning new skills and comprehending academic material. On the other hand, higher levels of mastery and performance avoidance orientations were displayed by Community Science students, expressing concerns about peer comparison and academic failure. These differences may be influenced by the distinct curricular and pedagogical approaches of the two disciplines. The findings underscore the importance of discipline-specific strategies to foster positive academic motivation and support students’ cognitive and emotional development in higher education.