Background: Psychological well-being (PWB) is a critical determinant of students’ academic
success and overall life functioning, making its assessment essential within higher education
contexts. Purpose: This study examined gender-based differences in PWB among uni
versity students across Ryff’s (1989) six-dimensional framework, encompassing autonomy,
environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and
self-acceptance. Methodology: A total of 618 students (375 male, 243 female; age range
18–28 years, M = 21.4, SD = 2.1) from various colleges of the University of Delhi participated
in this cross-sectional study. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. An a
priori power analysis using the pwr package in R (v4.6.0) confirmed adequate sample size. The
42-item Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scale was administered, and data were analysed using
descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests via SPSS (v22.0), with significance set at
p .05), environmental mastery (t = 1.482, p > .05), positive relations (t = −1.272, p > .05),
purpose in life (t = −0.555, p > .05), and self-acceptance (t = −0.343, p > .05). However,
female students scored significantly higher on personal growth (t = −2.354, p < .05, d = 0.19),
reflecting a stronger orientation toward self-development. Conclusions: Findings suggest
a broadly equitable psychological environment across genders, with females demonstrating
greater personal growth orientation. Universities should implement gender-sensitive counselling
and well-being programmes to support holistic student development.