This article reviews studies on undergraduates’ academic motivation through the analysis, synthesis, and generalization of 42 publications (32 international and 10 from India). The analysis identifies six key research approaches: (1) fundamental theories, (2) current state and manifestations, (3) classification, (4) measurement, (5) influencing factors, and (6) prevention, intervention, and enhancement. Based on these findings, the article proposes future research directions, including: integrating diverse theoretical frameworks, examining the continuum from amotivation to extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, exploring transitions between motivation types, analyzing motivation across different student demographics and academic disciplines, investigating the impact of subjective (e.g., autonomy, self-awareness, resilience), cultural (e.g., school, family, community, caste, ethnicity), and socio-economic and political factors, and developing preventive measures and evidence-based interventions to enhance academic motivation.