A STUDY ON ACADEMIC STRESS, BURNOUT AND COPING MECHANISMS AMONG MBA STUDENTS

Abstract

Academic stress has become an important concern in management education because MBA students are required to manage academic workload, examinations, assignments, presentations, projects, internships, competition and career expectations within a limited period. This study examines academic stress, academic burnout and coping mechanisms among MBA students at Ashoka Business School (ABS), Nashik. A descriptive, quantitative and cross-sectional research design was adopted. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale. A total of 110 questionnaires were distributed and 101 complete responses were retained for analysis. The study considers academic stressors such as workload, continuous assessments, tight deadlines, peer competition, internship and project pressure, faculty expectations, limited personal time, performance pressure, online or hybrid learning and fear of poor academic performance. It also examines burnout indicators including emotional exhaustion, daily fatigue, mental fatigue, concentration difficulty, frustration, reduced motivation and detachment from coursework. The findings show that fear of poor academic performance is a particularly prominent stressor, with 68.4% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing. Students also report substantial pressure from balancing academics with internships or projects and from lack of personal time. Burnout findings indicate considerable emotional and mental fatigue.