Background: The Imposter Phenomenon (IP) refers to pervasive feelings of self-doubt and the belief that one’s successes are attributable to luck rather than ability, despite evidence of competence. Initially identified among high-achieving women, IP affects many students and has been linked to anxiety, lower self-esteem, burnouts, failure of success, denial of ability, communication skills, and potential impacts on academic outcomes. Understanding how IP is associated with self-esteem and academic performance can help educators, counselors, and policymakers design targeted support programs.

Research Aim: To determine the prevalence of Imposter Phenomenon among undergraduate students and to examine its influence on self-esteem and academic performance.

Material and Methods: The current study makes use of a quantitative cross-sectional research design. An online survey on Google forms was forwarded through whatsapp among undergraduate students of a college after informed consent, to one hundred ten participants, 85 students selected through non probability convenient sampling technique. They completed the survey questionnaire which included structured demographic questionnaire, scales like Clance Impostor Phenomenon, Rosenberg SelfEsteem Scale (RSES), and Academic performance scale. Appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics were used to generate the result.

Results: The e-questionnaire was sent to 110 potential study participants out of which 85 completed the questionnaire and the recorded data was analyzed. The mean age of students was 18-25 years. Analysis of the data was done with IBM-SPSS version 22. Out of the 85 undergraduate students, 56.47% were found to be suffering from imposter phenomenon, indicating a high prevalence among the study population. Impostor phenomenon, self-esteem and academic performance were found to be positively correlated (r=-0.097 &0.62, p<0.05).