Title: - A Study on Mental Effects of MBA Students

Author’s: - 1) Neel Shah, Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management. Development &

Research, Mumbai.
2) Shreyas Mohite, Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management. Development &
Research, Mumbai.
3) Ayush Jain, Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management. Development &
Research, Mumbai.
Affiliation: - Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management. Development & Research.

ABSTRACT:

This study's goal is to investigate the factors contributing to academic stress among Master of
Business Administration Students. Numerous academics have pinpointed the elements of
academic stress and other stresses that affect pupils. This research continues to make an effort
to provide light on each aspect of academic stress, such as the curriculum and instruction,
teamwork-related problems, assessment and placement, impact on performance, and
outcomes of academic stress. Stress is a frustrating condition where it contains an excess of
work and overload which reduces the concentration, mentality and the working condition of
any student. The objective of this study is to explore the components of stress in the life of a
management student. There are various research papers written on the academic stress of a
management student. This research will enlighten about the various levels and aspects of
stress of a management such as curriculum and instructions, team work related issues,
assessment, and placement, impact on performance and outcomes of Academic stress. The
main objective was to identify the extent to which stress affects students’ academic years. A
quantitative method was used in gathering and analysing the data. For this purpose,
questionnaires were distributed to students who are currently doing post graduate.

Keywords: Stress, Academic Stress, Mental Effects, Depression, Anxiety.

Introduction: -
One of the largest education systems in the world is found in India. Core and non-core
businesses are the two main divisions of the Indian educational system. Schools and higher
education make up the core group, whilst coaching classes, vocational training, and
preschools are included in the non-core business. One of the most popular career choices for
young people in India nowadays is an MBA. Pursuing an MBA degree can be a challenging
and demanding experience. It can involve a significant time commitment, as well as a
significant financial investment. As a result, it is not uncommon for MBA students to
experience a range of mental health effects as a result of their studies. Some common mental
health effects that MBA students may experience include: 1) Stress: The high workload and
demanding nature of an MBA program can lead to high levels of stress, which can affect a
person's mental health. 2) Burnout: The intense nature of an MBA program can also lead to
burnout, which is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. 3)Depression: The
pressure to succeed and the high stakes of an MBA program can lead to feelings of
depression and hopelessness. 4) Anxiety: The uncertainty of the future and the pressure to
succeed can also lead to anxiety and worry.
It is important for MBA students to take care of their mental health and seek support if
needed. This may involve seeking counselling, talking to friends and family, or finding ways
to manage stress through activities such as exercise or meditation. Mental stress is a common
experience for MBA students, who may face high levels of stress due to the demanding
nature of their studies. MBA programs can be challenging and time-consuming, and students
may feel pressure to succeed academically and professionally. This can lead to high levels of
stress and can have negative effects on students' mental health. Some common sources of
stress for MBA students include: 1) Workload: MBA programs can involve a significant
amount of coursework and assignments, which can be overwhelming and time-consuming. 2)
Academic pressure: MBA students may feel pressure to perform well academically in order
to maintain good grades and graduate with honours. 3) Financial concerns: MBA programs
can be expensive, and students may worry about paying for tuition and other costs. 4) Career
uncertainty: MBA students may be uncertain about their career prospects after graduation,
which can lead to stress and anxiety. Overall, MBA students may face a range of mental
stressors that can impact their mental health and well-being. It is important for MBA students
to take care of their mental health and seek support if needed. This may involve seeking
counselling, talking to friends and family, or finding ways to manage stress through activities
such as exercise or meditation. Thus, we want to study about the mental effects of M.B.A
students.

Literature Review: -
Research paper - 1
Author’s Name – Neng Liang and Jiaqian Wang
Research Title - Implicit Mental Models in Teaching Cases: An Empirical Study of Popular
MBA Cases in the United States and China
Publication: - Academy of Management Learning & Education, Vol-3.
Summary: - We examined the manifest and latent meanings of well-liked MBA teaching
cases in the United States and China to spot any potential discrepancies between what MBA
students are expected to learn and what they are actually exposed to in the case techniques.
Our findings imply that an over reliance on the rational framework endures despite demands
for management education to adopt a more comprehensive approach. We identify five
patterns, including manager as analyst, strategy-driven organisation, under socialized
protagonist, naive and biased politics, and rationalistic framework, which are present in both
American and Chinese situations. We also talk about potential reasons for the biases and
suggest solutions to create more impartial teaching examples.

Research paper - 2
Author’s Name - DEB
Research Title - Stress Level of Management Student’s
Publication – Prestige E- Journal of Management and Research
Summary: -
His research examined the academic pressures university students face. The analysis'
findings indicated that there is an excessive academic load, not enough time for study due to
the extensive course material covered, and high family expectations. Among the causes of the
stress are low levels of motivation. Stress is primarily caused by a fear of failing. Students
from various specialisations did not significantly differ from one another. As a conclusion, it
can be said that stress has a negative effect on academic performance even though there was
no discernible gender difference. The distinction between junior and senior students was
clear. Stress undoubtedly has an impact on time management and the capacity for effective
learning.

Research paper - 3
Author’s Name - Bhavin Ushakant Pandya, Anushree Karani, Dr. Revati Deshpande.
Research Title - A Study on Impact of Academic Stress on MBA Students of Gujarat
Technological University
Publication - Researcher’s World - Journal of Arts, Science and Commerce, Vol. 3, No 3
Summary: -
This study's goal is to investigate the factors contributing to academic stress among Master of
Business Administration Students at colleges connected with GTU. Numerous academics
have pinpointed the elements of academic stress and other stresses that affect pupils. This
study also aims to shed information on each aspect of academic stress, including its effects on
performance and outcomes, curriculum and instruction, teamwork-related concerns,
assessment, and placement. Three main stressors that have an impact on performance and
three main effects of stress have been identified. Twelve micro issues have been identified
under the curriculum and instruction component of academic stress, while three stressors
connected to teamwork were highlighted. Seven sub issues surrounding assessment have also
been identified, along with three micro issues under the placement component. 118 Masters
of Business Administration students from GTU-affiliated colleges across Gujarat's five zones
make up the sample. A systematic academic stress questionnaire was used to gather the data.
Research Methodology: -
A) Type of Research: - A quantitative research has been used as well as this is
descriptive study.
B) Sampling plan: - Convenient Sampling Plan is used in this study.
C) Sampling Size: - 300 (Approx) where included in this study
D) Research Instrument: - Google form is circulated with couple of questions.

Data Analysis & Interpretation –

We have done Survey of around 300 MBA Students on their mental effects due academical
stress & found out data which is given below.
1) According to survey report, 66.9% students feel stressed out everyday in the college &
remaining students feel 2-4 times in college. 7.3% students do not feel hectic & experience
stress in a college.
2) 85.4% students feel frustrated with extra sessions or unnecessary event conducted in a
college & 11.3% students enjoys the extra sessions & events in a college.
3) Most of all students are influenced by academical stress i.e. 71.8% followed by Managing
Financial burden and Homesickness i.e. 9.7% each & lastly due to unable to build new
connections which is 8.1%.
4) Some Activities or Practices done by students daily to reduce stress within them 20.2%
students try to relive stress by talking to people around them, 19.4% students do yoga daily,
19.4% people listens music to feel better, 11.3% does meditation daily, 8.1% students do
running & Jogging to relieve stress & remaining students pursues their hobbies which gives
them happiness.
5) We found out that after experiencing stress its impact involves, 67.7% observes
disturbance of sleep pattern, 42.9% experience change in their eating habits, 41.9% students
result into decrease in them in efficiency. & Remaining people observes change in their
attitude & consumption of harmful items.
6) to reduce stress students wants college to reduce% of attendance criteria, conduct yoga or
meditation session in college, reduce extracurricular which is irrelevant to students domain,
encourage sport activities, provide academic support, promote positive campus culture, give
holidays in a weekend.

Findings: -
1)In general, however, studies on the mental effects of MBA programs on students have
found that MBA students may experience high levels of stress, burnout, anxiety, and due to
the demanding nature of their studies. These mental health challenges may be caused by a
range of factors, such as workload, academic pressure, financial concerns, and career
uncertainty.
2)The major cause of frustration among MBA students is academic stress and extra classes
conducted in colleges that are not relevant to their studies.
3)It was discovered through the study that both academic and psychological pressures had an
impact on students' performance. Lack of free time for recreation and the pedagogy of
frequent instruction were major academic pressures.
4) It has been observed that the behavioural effects of stress among MBA students are often
disrupted sleep patterns and changes to eating habits, particularly for students not living in
the city where they are studying.
5)To examine the elements of the curriculum and instruction linked to stress:
When the curriculum and instruction-related elements were were examined, we discovered
that the stressors that students experience are presentations, reaching academic goals, timely
submission of projects, and the volume of the syllabus.

Results and Discussion’s: -

Pursuing an MBA can be a challenging and demanding experience, and it is not uncommon
for students to experience a range of mental health effects as a result of the demands of their
studies. These may include feelings of stress, anxiety, and burnout, as well as difficulties with
sleep, concentration, and motivation. There are a number of factors that can contribute to
these mental health effects, including the high workload and pressure to perform well, the
competitive nature of MBA programs, and the need to balance coursework with other
responsibilities such as work and family. It is important for MBA students in India to be
aware of these: - potential mental health effects and to take steps to address them, such as
seeking support from friends, family, or mental health professionals, and practicing self-care
techniques such as exercise, relaxation, and stress management.

Conclusion: -If stress at academic institutions is not well controlled, there may be adverse
effects.
Since academic institutions have distinct work environments than non-academic ones, one
might anticipate the variation in stress's signs, symptoms, sources, and effects.
The study could offer greater insights to the academic administrators for starting efforts to
lessen the severity of academic stress by identifying the sub problems of each component of
academic stress among the MBA students AICTE affiliated institutes.

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