Authors: Ishita Kumar & Kritvi Dutta

ABSTRACT

Precarity among university students represents a structurally produced condition of instability that shapes academic engagement, financial security, and psychological well-being. This quantitative study examines how financial and academic experiences influence well-being and perceived support among 209 undergraduate and postgraduate students in India. Using a cross-sectional survey design, the study employed descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis to assess relationships between key variables. Results indicate that academic experiences emerged as a significant positive predictor of well-being and support (p<.001), while financial experiences did not demonstrate a statistically significant direct effect. Qualitative responses, however, reveal that financial precarity operates subtly constraining career choices, intensifying academic stress, and shaping students’ emotional experiences. The findings suggest that well-being is determined by the interplay of academic demands, structural constraints, and institutional responses, rather than isolated events. Addressing student precarity requires moving beyond individualised resilience frameworks toward structural reforms that integrate well-being into academic environments, recognise the diverse realities of student populations, and embed support systems within institutional practice rather than leaving students to navigate instability alone.