National | 28th January 2026: The IC3 Institute released its Annual Student Quest Report 2025 at the IC3 Regional Conference – South Asia, held on 23–24 January 2026 at O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana. The global study examines how high school students are rethinking their academic and career pathways in a rapidly changing world. Based on responses from students in the graduating classes of 2026 and 2027, the report highlights a widening gap between student aspirations and the guidance systems currently available to support them.
As the IC3 Movement marks 10 years of advancing career and college counseling globally, the findings underscore a critical shift: students are moving away from traditional markers of success such as rankings and destination prestige, and toward decisions shaped by purpose, affordability, mental well-being, campus safety, and long-term career relevance.
The report also reveals a widening digital gap in career guidance. While over 80% of students use AI-powered tools for career research, university shortlisting, or application support, only around 60% of counselors report using similar technologies. This disconnects, the study notes, risks leaving students to navigate high-stakes decisions largely on their own.
Despite growing reliance on technology, human guidance remains central. More than 75% of students said family members are their most trusted source of advice when making education decisions, while only one in three students consult school counselors. Encouragingly, 80% of students who engaged in counseling said it helped them make more informed career decisions, and 63% reported improved communication with their parents following counseling conversations, highlighting counseling’s dual academic and emotional impact.
Entrepreneurship has also emerged as a decisive factor. 71% of students said access to entrepreneurial support influences their choice of university, and over 80% want entrepreneurship integrated into school curricula, reflecting a generation focused on innovation, adaptability, and future-ready skills.
Commenting on the findings, Ganesh Kohli, Founder of the IC3 Movement, said: “The 2025 Student Quest Report reflects a generation that is thoughtful, digitally fluent, and deeply driven by purpose. Students today are not just choosing institutions; they are choosing ecosystems that support their aspirations, mental well-being, and long-term growth. At IC3, we believe counseling must evolve from being a service to becoming a culture, one that empowers every student with clarity, confidence, and context to navigate an increasingly complex world.”
The report calls on schools and higher education institutions to adopt a ‘Counseling as a Culture’ approach, embedding career and college guidance across leadership, curriculum, teacher training, and parent engagement. As AI, entrepreneurship, and mental health increasingly shape student decision-making, the study emphasises the need for timely, technology-aware, and student-centric counseling models.
