Academic learning requires constant mental work, but many observers say that undergraduate students show

less energy and more exhaustion as their studies continue. Experts claim that current research about motivation

stays mostly inside the corporate world, which means a large space exists in the knowledge regarding higher

education, specifically for undergraduate students in the Indian academic context. The research examines the

motivation of undergraduate students by using Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory

at the same time. Motivation is evaluated so that the problems of the undergraduate students are understood.

Information was gathered using a quantitative research design. Many researchers believe that primary data were

gathered from 43 undergraduate students, including 22 female, 17 male, and 4 who did not say their gender. A

structured questionnaire was shared through Google Forms, while responses were marked on a five-point Likert

and the way rules are made. When the gender-based analysis was finished, the undergraduate students who did

not share their gender showed much lower motivation, especially regarding safety needs (1.69/5).

This research suggests that the leadership of the educational institution must change its focus toward making

academic rules clear. Many scholars believe that fair testing methods and project -based learning should be

created to help undergraduate students. Better mentorship is needed so that undergraduate students find chances

for personal growth. Recognition systems are organized to help the undergraduate students reach self-

actualization. When these changes are made, the motivation of undergraduate students will improve because the

environment becomes more supportive.

Academic Burnout

genuinely engaged learn more deeply, recover from setbacks more readily, and outperform those who are not

[1]. The absence of motivation, by contrast, breeds a particular kind of academic drift — not dramatic failure,

but chronic underperformance [2]. Despite how well-documented this is, motivational research has stayed

largely in the corporate world, leaving higher education — and particularly the Indian undergraduate experience

— surprisingly underexplored [3].

This study approaches that gap through two frameworks applied in tandem. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs [4]

maps motivation across five levels — physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualisation — each

layer contingent on the one beneath it. Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory [5] draws a different but complementary

line: between hygiene factors that merely prevent dissatisfaction, and genuine motivators that actively drive

performance. Used together, they offer a more textured diagnosis — not just whether students are disengaged,

specifically about this population. Participation was entirely voluntary.

The questionnaire had three parts. Section A gathered demographics. Section B ran ten items across Maslow's

five need levels — two items per level. Section C covered eight items probing Herzberg's hygiene factors and

motivators. Every motivational item was measured on a five-point Likert scale: 1 being Strongly Disagree, 5

being Strongly Agree. Mean scores were then bucketed into three bands — low (1.0–2.5), moderate (2.6–3.5),

and high (3.6–5.0) — to make interpretation consistent across both frameworks.

Of the 43 respondents, the majority were in Semester VI (28 students), followed by Semester IV (9 students),

with the remainder distributed across Semesters I, III, VII, and VIII. Gender distribution comprised 22 female

students, 17 male students, and 4 who preferred not to disclose.

Male students scored marginally higher than female students in physiological and social needs, though the

institutional attention in its own right.

Figure 4. Herzberg Two-Factor Analysis: Student Motivation vs Hygiene

The results do not follow Maslow's expected sequence. The theory predicts physiological needs to be most

satisfied and self-actualization least — the data disagrees. Esteem (3.38) and physiological needs (3.36) score

highest, while safety needs (2.90) score lowest. Students feel reasonably confident in their abilities and find

physical infrastructure adequate, but report genuine anxiety around evaluation fairness and policy consistency.

Herzberg's framework makes sense of this. Administrative fairness operates as a hygiene factor — when it is

perceived as inconsistent or arbitrary, it generates active dissatisfaction regardless of what else is functioning

well. A student who feels academically capable but fears unpredictable grading is unlikely to sustain motivation

for long. The safety deficit, in this way, quietly erodes the esteem gains above it.

short in two specific areas: academic policy transparency, and structured pathways toward self-actualization.

This study examined motivation levels among 43 undergraduate students using Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory in tandem. The findings do not follow the theoretical sequence neatly —

esteem and physiological needs are comparatively better satisfied, while safety needs recorded the lowest scores

across all five levels. Self-actualization, though not the lowest, reflects a persistent deficit in opportunities for

meaningful growth and intellectual engagement.

The implication is straightforward. Institutions are partially meeting motivational needs but falling short in two

areas that matter structurally. The first is academic security — students do not consistently experience the policy

transparency and evaluation fairness that a stable learning environment requires. The second is self-actualization

institution, limits generalisability. Future research should extend this to a larger, multi-institution sample and

incorporate qualitative methods to capture what Likert scales cannot — the lived experience behind the

numbers. The gender-based disparity, particularly the safety scores among students who preferred not to

disclose gender (1.69/5), warrants investigation beyond what this study's scope permits.

Students are not unmotivated by disposition. They are operating within institutions whose policies and

programmes have not caught up with what motivation research has established for decades. That is a structural

problem — and a solvable one.

We thank the 43 undergraduate students who took the time to participate — the study exists because of their

willingness to engage honestly with the survey. We are grateful to the faculty of the Department of Mechanical

Engineering, RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru, for their guidance and support throughout this process.

— continue to offer genuine analytical purchase on questions that institutions are still getting wrong.

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7. Kusurkar, R. A. (2013). Motivation in medical students: A PhD thesis summary. GMS Zeitschrift für

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