Academic Anxiety among Reserved & Non-Reserved Category Senior Secondary School Students of Jammu Division

Mohd Abid Siddiqui,Atieq Ul Rehman

doi:10.20849/aes.v1i1.35

Abstract

Background: Indian society constitutes minorities, schedule castes, schedule tribes, and other backward communities. In order to uplift them through different policies and plans Government of India in consultation with Jammu and Kashmir Government had kept them in reserved (SC,ST,OBC,RBA,ALC) &amp; non-reserved (General/Open) category. Does students belonging to reserved &amp; non-reserved category differ in terms of their academic anxiety has motivated the researcher to approach this problem.Aim: The main objectives of the study were to find out the relationship between academic anxiety, intelligence and study habits of total sample groups and sub-groups. To explore category (reserved &amp; non-reserved) and gender (male &amp; female) differences in academic anxiety, intelligence and study habits of total sample groups and sub-groups and to find out significance of difference in the mean scores of academic anxiety among all comparative groups under study.Method: A sample of 537 students including 329 reserved categories and 208 non-reserved category students aged between 14-18 years were selected through stratified random sampling technique. Data was collected by administering self-constructed Academic Anxiety Scale bearing dependable validity and reliability, Standardised Group Test of Intelligence by DR. G.C. Ahuja. (2009) and Study Habits Inventory by DR. Lajwanti., N.P.S. Chandel., &amp; A. Paliwal. (2013).Results: Academic anxiety was correlated with intelligence and study habits of total sample groups and sub-groups under study. On an average students belonging to non-reserved category were higher in academic anxiety scores but were possessing better study habits than reserved categories students. In terms of academic anxiety’s mean score differences among all comparative groups under study, only reserved categories females were suffering more from academic anxiety than reserved categories males sample.Conclusion: More research on psychological health of reserved &amp; non-reserved categories students especially in their socio-cultural and political context is needed so as to evolve effective and practical preventive measures.

Highlights

Anxiety is one of the most common psychological disorders in school-aged children and adolescents worldwide (Costello, Mustillo, Erkanli, Keeler, & Angold, 2003)
Academic anxiety was correlated with intelligence and study habits of total sample groups and sub-groups under study
The interactional effect of categories and gender having F-value (0.15) is insignificant. It can be inferred from the findings presented above that those students who are from non-reserved category are found possessing better study habits than reserved categories students belonging to SC, ST, OBC, reserved backward area (RBA) & actual line of control (ALC)

Summary

Introduction

Anxiety is one of the most common psychological disorders in school-aged children and adolescents worldwide (Costello, Mustillo, Erkanli, Keeler, & Angold, 2003). Secondary school stage is an important stage of education as it opens the window for the students to select their streams (Science & Non-Science) of study which further leads to professional courses like Engineering and Medicine. These are the most preferred choices as these courses lead to better job prospects. In India as well as abroad students seeking entry to these professional courses face tough competition and requires rigorous efforts to qualify the entrance test It is because of this undue pressure in absence of any guidance programme students may come across various emotional problems. Does students belonging to reserved & non-reserved category differ in terms of their academic anxiety has motivated the researcher to approach this problem

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion