Adjustment and Ethics in Education: A Comparative Study of Vocational and Academic Students

Abstract

The current study compares the ethical ideals and adaptability levels of students in academic and vocational programs. For today's youth, adjustment—a crucial sign of mental health and personality development—and ethical values—which direct moral thinking and social behavior—are crucial developmental domains. Stratified random sampling was used to choose 240 students from different educational institutions in Punjab, 120 of whom were academic and 120 of whom were vocational. The students were split evenly between males and females. The Ethical Values Scale by Dr. Asha Bhargava and Dr. Shaleen, as well as the Adjustment Inventory for School Students (AISS) by A.K.P. Sinha and R.P. Singh, were used. Academic students showed better adjustment in emotional and educational dimensions, while vocational students showed stronger ethical orientation in areas of honesty and responsibility. These findings showed significant differences in adjustment and ethical values between academic and vocational students. Notable gender inequalities were also noted by the study. The findings provide guidance for educators and legislators in creating more comprehensive curricula.