INDIAN STUDENTS AND AMBIITON

A survey was done with 112 Indian students from form 4 and 5. The results of the survey shows there is a strong co-relation with the parents academic level and parents income with students ambition.

Students who come from families with family income of RM800 to RM 1500 has ambition to be in middle level skill or similar level management with desire to earn between RM1500and 2000 a figure of only 20 to 30 per cent premium to what their parents earn. Of the total, 91.07% of them do not know the earning power of certain skills if they successfully accomplish their ambition.

Of the total respondent, 91.07% do not have clear information toward accomplish their ambition, like basic requirement needed to acquire the skill and institutions offering the knowledge of the skill.


Most of them show little interest on self employment. Surprisingly 47% believe if self employed with skills like welding and wiring their earnings actually drops. This believes off sets the tendency to be self employed.

It was noted from the survey that most respondents have ambitions, which need high level of academic performance which is beyond their current achievement. Like failing almost all subjects but wanted to be a medical doctor. However it was also noted students of higher ability having lower level of ambition like 6A 1B achiever wanted to be a technician.

It was noted there was a strong correlation between performance of student in Bahasa Malaysia and with other subjects. If one is poor in Bahasa Malaysia he/she is also poor in other subjects.

The survey also indicated 96.32% students surveyed spend 2hours a day for studies at home. This time allocation had been the same ever since they were in primary schools and this time allocation did not increase while they were in secondary schools. This can be a contributing factor for their poor performance in examinations in secondary schools.

Here a mental climate had to be created among these students that higher level of time investment is necessary to remain excellent in secondary school as they were in primary school.