The Explorer Islamabad: Journal of Social Sciences

ISSN: 2411-0132(E), 2411-5487(P)

Vol-3, Issue (2): 46-50
www.theexplorerpak.org

THE IMPACT OF STUDENTS’ POLITICS ON EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN UNIVERSITY OF SINDH,

JAMSHORO (PAKISTAN)

Dr. Sarfraz Khan1, Manzoor Ali2, Sundas Ayyub3

1
Lecturer, Department of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 2M.Phil Scholar, Department of
Sociology, PMAS- Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, 3M.Phil Scholar, Department of Development Studies,
Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Islamabad

Corresponding Author:
Dr. Sarfraz Khan
Lecturer, Department of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad
sarfraz@qau.edu.pk

Abstract: The current study analyzed the major reasons behind students’ involvements in the politics at university level
and its effects on their academics performances. It is perceived that, in normal situations, if students are more inclined
towards the politics their chances to excel in the academic activities are substantially reduced. The current research was
conducted in the University of Sindh, Jamshoro (Pakistan) as it has faced many spells of students’ unrest throughout the last
few decades. The students who actively participate in politics are becoming a major hurdle in conducting academic
activities. The nature of the research data was quantitative and a survey of 180 students was conducted to understand the
students’ perspectives on the research questions. A well-structured interview schedule was devised through the help of
literature review and survey was executed by employing convenient sampling techniques with a special criterion for being
selected. The results showed a strong negative impact of the students’ involvement in politics on their academic
performances. Majority of such students were very poor in academic performances and their main interests remained in
politics.

Key Words: Students’ Politics, Educational Performance, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan

INTRODUCTION
Numbers of researchers have highlighted the impact
of students’ politics on their life aspects in many
ways. Some have identified its positive effects by
training the students at campus and make it possible
for them to take care of the politics at national level
after the completion of university education. But
some of the researchers have also explored the
ambiguities associated to the involvement of
students at campus level politics and the aftermaths
of such activities on their academic and political
careers.
The students’ involvement in politics shows their
maturity and concern to the social issues concerning
the state. Through this platform they can positively
contribute to society in number of ways such as
activism about the rights, health, economics uplift,
environmental issues, jobs, and so on. But in some
cases when students feel empowered they try to
misuse the space and time which they get by actively
participating in political activism at campus. Many
researchers have noted down the positive sides of
students’ politics as this platform not only scrutinize
the students on the basis of their abilities to perform
well in future political positions but it also provides
them with some skills to handle the situations more
amicably. This platform also trained the students to
perform future responsibilities in a better way. Many
individual who have meticulously participated in
university level politics have proved it in the after
campus life when they achieved some political
positions and performed their responsibility very
efficiently. Among others, few names are very
prominent as they have gone through the university
politics and later on became the national and
international leaders. Ronald Wilson Reagan and
Jesse Jackson are Two American, seasoned
politicians; who have studied at Harvard and Yale

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respectively. Ronald Wilson Reagan later took on the
responsibilities of president of the United States of
America. Their involvements in students’ politics
provided them with a very unique kind of experience
and then they served the nation in a very efficient
manner. On the other side, two graduates, Robert
Anthony Eden and Tony Blair, from the Oxford and
Cambridge universities in UK took the charge of
England’s Prime Minister (Altbach 1967:26). Their
experiences of university level politics made it
possible for them to perform their responsibilities in
a very effective way. Altbach (1966:176) maintained
that the universities and other academic institutions
can better provide the students with a platform
where they can learn quality skills to be an active
future political leader. The above given examples of
the four world leaders are in line with the argument
of Altbach.
In some societies, people do not consider the
students’ politics as a mainstream political leadership
training system (Glazer 1967: 210). In their views the
students who are involved in a campus level political
activism cannot replicate with the state political
leadership as they are not serious enough to take on
the responsibilities and perform the duties of being
leader in a better way rather they are always very
inquisitive about the personal benefits.
Hazary (1988: 109) opined that universities could be
very influential in inculcating change among the
youth leadership. Martha (2005) asserted about the
role of youth leadership in the progression in the
context of educational improvements, the
development in the society, precision in decision-
making, and students’ growth and stability. On the
other side, Lipset and Altbach (1966: 327) highlighted
the bitter side of the politics as most of the people
used this platform to get power/authority and
manipulated the situations for their personal
benefits. Filho, et al. (1998: 164) discussed the crucial
role of the politics in maintaining law and order in the
society. If students themselves indulged in quarrelling
with each other, as it is the relevant case in most of
the academic institutions in Pakistan, what kind of
experiences they might carry forward to the next
(national) level of politics.
The role of students’ unions in managing issues
concerning the students at campus becomes very
crucial issue in the recent past. The differences have
been observed in most of the universities among the
unions and such difference could lead to the crisis at
the campus (Levy 1991: 147). Emler and Frazer (1999)
noted a difference in the developed and the
developing countries about the role of students
unions at campus. In the developing countries unions’
role is ambiguous while clarity can be seen in the
developed world. Butt (2003: 34) mentioned the
negative role of the involvements of students in the
politics at campus and the academic outcomes for
them by the end of the year/term.
Research Hypothesis
“Higher the level of students’ participation in politics
at campus lower will be their performance in
academic activities.”
MATERIALS AND METHODS
For the current study, quantitative research design
with the help of survey methods was used to study
the role of politics in influencing academic
environment at University of Sindh, Jamshoro. A
survey of 180 respondents representing various
departments/faculties of the university was carried
out. For the respondents’ selection convenient
sampling technique was used with a special criterion.
In this criterion only those students (male and
female) were taken into the sample that have spent
at least one year at the campus so that they could
better give information depending on the one year
experience. The second inclusion condition was that
only those students (both male and female) were
included who were in the age group of 17 to 30 years.
For the purpose to execute the survey a well-
structured research tool was devised and later on
pre-tested on 15 respondents from the University of
Sindh. At this stage the anomalies in the tool were
cleared and an amended tool was again prepared.
The tool was divided into three main sections as the
first was dealing with the number of aspects of the
socio-economic and demographic profiles of the
respondents. The second section was about the
various factors that motivated the concerning
students to involve in political activism at the
campus. The last section of the tool was about the
effects of the political activism on the academic
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performances of students who were involved in these The third variable was about the monthly family’s
activities. income of the respondents and it shows that 37.7%
The data collected through the survey was coded and families had less than 20000 monthly incomes. Only
entered into the Statistical Package for Social 15% respondents’ families had income more than
Sciences (SPSS) for further analysis to draw 30001 rupees per month. A significant number
inferences about the selected variables of the (31.7%) of respondents did not shared information
research. The co-relational analysis was done to see about their family’s monthly income.
the relationship between independent and The fourth variable was about the family’s structure
dependent variable. of the respondents and it indicates that majority of
them were belonging to the joint family system
RESULTS (85.6%).It is also the true representation of the family
Table. 1: Demographic Profile of the Respondents n=180 structure of Sindh as majority of people still lives in
Age the joint system.
Categories f %
16-20 73 40.6 Table. 2: Political Culture and Academic Activities n=180
21-25 104 57.8 Students are encouraged to participate in politics
26-30 3 1.7 Categories f %
Gender Strongly agree 14 7.8
Male 141 78.3 Agree 70 38.9
Female 39 21.7 Neutral 27 15.0
Monthly Income Disagree 53 29.4
Less than 10000 42 23.3 Strongly disagree 16 8.9
10001 to 20000 26 14.4 Students' politics enhance the chances of truancy
20001 to 30000 28 15.6 Strongly agree 35 19.4
30001 to above 27 15.0 Agree 69 38.3
Do not want to share 57 31.7 Neutral 56 31.1
Family Structure Disagree 17 9.4
Nuclear 10 5.5 Strongly disagree 3 1.7
Joint 154 85.6 Students’ politics had a bad impact on the academic
Extend 16 8.9 activities
Strongly agree 37 20.6
The table no. 1 presents the number of aspects of Agree 79 43.9
respondents’ profile such as age, monthly income Neutral 28 15.6
and family structure. The data shows that majority Disagree 29 16.1
(98.4%) of the respondents were under the age of 25 Strongly disagree 7 3.9
years while only fewer (1.7%) were above the age of
25 years. That statistics represents the true situation The table 2 is about the number of categories of
of the age of students at university levels. students’ involvement in politics and its impact on
The second variable was about the gender of the their academic activities. 46.7% students were from
respondents. The data shows that majority (78.3%) of agreeing to strongly agree that they were being
the respondents were male while about 20% were encouraged to take part in politics at campus. 15%
female. The overall ratio of female students was students remained neutral to the statement about
lower as compared to the male. On the other side the participation in politics at campus. On the other
female were also less interested in the politics at side 38.3% students sated that they were never been
campus. encouraged to take part in the politics at campus.

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The second variable in the table 2 was about the ratio there is a definite impact of the students’ politics on
of truancy among the students because of their the academic environment at campus in the
involvements in politics at campus. Reasonable University of Sindh, Jamshoro. With reference to the
majority (57.7%) respondents were in favor that yes role of students’ politics in the educational
the political participation of students definitely performances the researchers found some negative
increases their chances of truancy. Such students effects for students who were involved in the politics
were more interested in politics rather than taking at campus became truant. Their interests were totally
classes. The last variable of the table 2 was about the inclined towards the politics which provides them
bad effects of politics on students’ academic with pleasure and some force to take advantages out
achievements. 64.5% respondents agreed that the of the situation. Their participations in the politics
students’ politics had bad impacts on the academic were somehow used to escape from the academic
activities. On the other side, 20% respondents denied rigor and to get benefits by using political force such
the influence of students’ politics on academic as getting good grades in the exams etc.
activities. National political parties are always inclined to enter
into the educational institutions in Pakistan especially
Table. 3: Correlation of Students’ Politics and Academic in the colleges and universities. These are the
Activities n=180 institutions from where they can get force to be
Students’ Students' conflicts also disturb academic utilized to take part in the democratic process.
Politics had and co-curricular activities at campus Sometime, they invest their money and mind to get
a bad impact S.A A N D S.D Total the affiliations of students enrolled in colleges and
Strongly universities. This political activism at universities’
9 6 1 0 0 16
Agree level can also provide them with new lot of politicians
Agree 7 22 16 6 1 52 and some of the politician straightforwardly came
Neutral 9 25 9 2 1 46
from universities’ politics to the mainstream politics.
Disagree 5 25 11 16 0 57
Such examples can be seen in the case of Jamaat-e-
Strongly
2 4 2 0 1 9 Islami Pakistan, Pakistan Muslim League (N), Pakistan
Disagree
Total 32 82 39 24 3 180 People’s Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
Chi-Square Tests Some evidences have been discussed in the
Value 43.456a introduction section of this article about the role of
Df 16 universities in producing vibrant politicians such as
Asymp. Sig .000 President of USA and Prime Ministers of England.
University can be a good platform in the case of
Above table 3 represents the correlation between Pakistan for the formation of new grounds to activate
two main research questions. The results showed the youth to take part in the politics but at the same
that out of 180 respondents 68 respondent were time students’ unions remained banned in most of
from agree to strongly agree that students’ politics time during Zia’s regime and later in 1993 Supreme
disturb the academic environment at the campus Court also banned students citing that they produce
while, 46 respondents remained neutral. On the violence in Pakistan. Recently, the Senate of Pakistan
other side, 66 respondents were not agreeing to the passed resolution to lift the ban on unions in August
statement. The Pearson’s chi-square test was used 2017.
to see the association between two selected variables The political parties are always complaining about the
and the results (.000) were highly significant. issues that because of the ban on students’ unions
they cannot get the fresh blood/a new force for the
DISCUSSION political struggle in the country. If these political
In this research article, the role of students’ politics parties use the academic institutions as a platform to
on academic performances was studied through the exert their forces by involving students this can
use of quantitative research design and it shows that disturb the academic environment of such

49
institutions. The same thing happened in the case of
current university where national political parties
were backing up the students and investing mind and
money to tame the students to become active
members of their organizations. But this political
activism disturbed the academic environment of the
university as it faced many spells of violent conflicts,
forceful closure of the campus, influenced the
standards of good governance.
CONCLUSION
The results of the current study are in line with some
other researchers’ perspectives as Butt (2003:34)
rightly identified the negative effects of students’
participations in politics and its impact on their
performances in academic activities. The Chi-square
results were highly significant in the current research
scenario while identifying the negative effects of the
political activism on academic performances. The
students were, in most of the case, misused by the
external forces to interrupt the academic
environment on the reasons backed by some political
motives. Sometime, students were influenced by
their peers to take part in the politics but once they
tasted the power of politics they never considered its
negative effects on their academic careers.
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2003 Revisiting Students politics in
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Emler, Nicholas and Frazer, Elizabeth
1999 Politics: The education effect. Oxford
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Filho, Joao Roberto Martins and Collins, John
1998 Students and Politics in Brazil, 1962-
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Glazer, Nathan
1967 Student Politics in a Democratic
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