Abstract One of the major objectives of formal education is to prepare the educand for a suitable career and to achieve it. Higher secondary education is a gateway to different careers and the students make career decisions during this period of studies. The present study explores the level of career aspiration among higher secondary school students in Kerala state. A career aspiration scale constructed and standardized by Grewal (2011) was administered to a sample of 250 higher secondary school students in the State of Kerala. The results of the study show that the higher secondary school students possess average level of career aspiration. It was found that demographic variables such as gender, locale, and socio-economic status influence the level of career aspiration. The findings of the study point to the need for providing career guidance programmes to augment the career aspirations of students, especially male students and students from rural areas and from families of low socio-economic status.
Key words: Education; Career Aspiration; Demographic Variables; Career Guidance; Socio-Economic Status and Higher Secondary School Students.