Perceptions, Strategies, and Readiness: Unpacking Employability Pathways of Management Students in Tamil Nadu Universities

Abstract: This study investigates the factors influencing employability readiness among final-year postgraduate management students in Tamil Nadu. A sample of 420 students from Alagappa and Manonmaniam Sundaranar Universities was surveyed using a structured questionnaire, with strong reliability and validity established through pilot testing and factor analysis. The results show that personal attributes, institutional support, and policy awareness significantly shape students’ perceptions of skill development, which in turn strongly determine their adoption of employability strategies. These strategies emerged as the most powerful contributors to employability readiness, highlighting the active role of student engagement beyond academic learning. However, challenges including financial constraints, digital limitations, and language barriers reduced participation, particularly among rural and low-income students. Gender differences favoured female students, while no significant differences were observed between universities. Overall, the findings emphasize the mediating role of perceptions and the systemic nature of employability barriers in Tamil Nadu’s higher education context.

Keywords: Employability readiness, Skill development, Student perceptions, Institutional support, Policy integration, Higher education in Tamil Nadu