This paper explores the role of gender in influencing career conflict among board students, keeping in mind the interplay between societal norms, cultural values, and familial expectations. Career conflict is the tension between personal aspirations and external pressures and profoundly affects students’ academic performance, emotional well-being, and long-term career satisfaction. Despite its importance, limited research has been conducted to understand the gender-specific influences on career conflict, especially in the Indian context. The present study addresses this gap through a quantitative research design and uses a survey with 102 board students, divided equally between males and females. Results show differences based on gender for career preferences and levels of conflict. Female respondents were more likely to pursue more traditional careers, such as teaching and the law, often with greater internalized conflict due to social expectations. Male students were more likely to select non-traditional roles, though again, social expectations about success and financial security also influenced choices. These findings suggest that reducing existing gender imbalances in career choice is essential. This would require interventions such as gender-sensitive career guidance, parental engagement programs, or even education policies that may check the problem of career conflict and thus help make effective choices. Busting stereotypes by encouraging the exposure of various choices for students looks toward a just and facilitative environment in such a situation. This study proves useful in understanding the dynamics of gender careers that are often seen in terms of conflict. Its findings require additional studies, but this would be in a more specific light.