The Missing Spark: Examining Motivational Gaps in Education Through Maslow's Hierarchy and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory

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 scale using 18 items. Because the data was collected digitally, the undergraduate students could answer from different places. Results show that esteem needs (3.38/5) and physiological needs (3.36/5) have better satisfaction. Many people believe that undergraduate students feel sure about their mental skills and find the school buildings good enough. A middle score (3.29/5) was reached for social needs, even though self-actualization (3.06/5) and safety needs (2.90/5) reached the lowest levels of satisfaction. These low scores show that gaps exist in academic security 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.