UNICEF YuWaah and iDreamCareer Launches Bharat Career Aspirations Report 2025

Bharat Career Aspirations Report 2025: UNICEF YuWaah, in collaboration with iDreamCareer, launched the Bharat Career Aspirations Report 2025 (BCAR 2025) today – a comprehensive study that explores the career aspirations of students from Classes 9 to 12 across India. The Bharat Career Aspirations Report 2025 (BCAR) was released by Mr Himanshu Gupta, Secretary, CBSE, and it builds on previous editions to offer deeper insights into the evolving career landscape and challenges faced by India’s youth.

BCAR 2025, the third edition of the flagship Bharat Career Aspirations Report, explores how career guidance can transform young lives. Building on insights from 2023 and 2024, this year’s report goes deeper — analysing how socio-economic factors such as geography, school type, and social categories influence students’ aspirations and access to opportunities. With a special focus on government and private schools, BCAR 2025 highlights gaps in information, counselling, and decision-making, offering actionable solutions to help every student pursue an ambition-based career.

“Career plays a vital role in shaping a child’s future, and the process of career planning must begin early in the school years. The Bharat Career Aspirations Report 2025 reveals that only 10% of students currently have access to professional career guidance. To address this gap, CBSE is developing qualification standards and training modules to prepare certified career counsellors. These counsellors will guide students in making informed choices aligned with their interests and skills. Implementing this initiative at scale will mark a transformative step towards building a future-ready education system that enables every child to realise their true potential," said Himanshu Gupta, Secretary, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

“Career guidance is not a luxury; it is a necessity for every young person to make informed choices about their future. Reports like BCAR 2025 give us the evidence we need to act together. At YuWaah, we believe collaboration between schools, governments, and private sector partners is key to ensuring every student has access to the right information, counselling, and opportunities to turn their aspirations into reality,” said Abhishek Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, UNICEF YuWaah

“The Bharat Career Aspirations Report shows that when it comes to career-related confusions or access to structured Career Guidance, there is little difference between government and private school students. 

In private schools, around 11% students have access to Career Guidance, vis-à-vis government schools, where it’s slightly lower at 9%. The awareness level of different career options is limited to only six to seven. This needs to change. Our work will not be over till informed, unbiased, structured and empathetic Career Guidance is made available to every student, irrespective of their backgrounds. Our students deserve that - the chance to build a joyful career & meaningful life for themselves,” said Ayush Bansal, Founder & CEO, iDreamCareer.com

The BCAR 2025 survey explores Bharat Career Aspirations Report 2025. It assesses students’ self-awareness, knowledge of courses and colleges, financial considerations, and backup plans, while examining the role of counselling, key influences, and barriers in shaping career decisions. The survey further compares patterns across states, district types, socio-economic backgrounds, school types, grades, and gender. This edition, covering 21,239 students across 14 districts in seven states - Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka, and Rajasthan, aims to amplify young voices and co-create a future where career choices are aspiration-driven.

Key Insights from BCAR 2025

●Only 10.4% of students have received professional career guidance (9% in government schools, 12% in private), underscoring the urgent need for stronger counselling systems.

●Despite better access, 41% of private school students remain unsure about course selection (vs 35% in government schools), pointing to a gap between exposure and clarity.

●Just 22% of students have a backup career plan (24% private, 20% government).

●Most lack essential planning data: only 10% know course costs, and 38% are unsure of their target education level.

●81% face barriers to career decisions — from limited information and self-awareness to peer/family pressure and future concerns — with challenges affecting over two-thirds of both school types.

Recommendations from BCAR 2025

BCAR 2025 calls for a stronger, more inclusive career guidance ecosystem in India. Key suggestions include:

●Embedding structured guidance into school curricula from Grade 9 onward.

●Expanding access to digital and AI-enabled career platforms.

●Supporting underrepresented groups through gender-responsive guidance and financial planning tools.

●Improving awareness of diverse educational pathways and strengthening infrastructure in government institutions.

●Broadening counselling services to include portfolio building, financial literacy, and purpose-driven planning

Together, these steps aim to ensure every student can confidently move from education to meaningful employment.

Presently, India's youth have countless opportunities, so it is important to prioritise Career Guidance as a fundamental pillar of their educational journey. By raising awareness and advocating for accessible guidance channels, YuWaah, UNICEF YuWaah India and iDreamCareer are committed to empowering the next generation of leaders and innovators.