International Indexed & Referred Research Journal, May, 2012. ISSN- 0974-2832, RNI-RAJBIL 2009/29954;VoL.

IV *ISSUE-40

Research Paper - Education

A Study of Academic Achievement of IX Th Class Students of District Solan of Himachal Pradesh in Relation to Their Social Category, Gender and Self- Concept
* Dr. Surinder Singh
* Principal, Himachal College of Education Nalagarh at Kishanpura , Solan (H.P.) A B S T R A C T
In this study an attempt has been made to study the academic achievement of 9th class students of District Solan of H.P. in relation to their social category, gender and self- concept. The sample consists of 300 students from rural and urban areas of Solan District of H.P. were selected randomly. The investigator has used the Ahluwalia's Children Self- Concept Scale to collect the necessary data from the students. The data were analyzed by using analysis of variance. The finding of the study reveals that student belonging to scheduled cast and non scheduled caste, boys and girls, social category, selfconcept and gender do not interact significantly with regard to academic achievement of students.

May , 2012

Introduction: Academic achievement is one of the important areas to the explored, so as to make it worthwhile, to bring a change in the total life of a person. If the change in the total life of a person is the ultimate aim of education, then it will have to be looked into as to what are the important factors, which affect it, in a broader perspective. There is then no denying the fact that personality plays an important part in all types of the development of the individual. Out of many theories and types of build up of personality, self -concept is one of the important factors to be kept in view. It is the responsibility of the academicians to find ways and means to evaluate the values of self-concept in relation with other important variables i.e. gender and social category etc. which are likely to affect both the quality of life and the quality of education in the long run, so that wisdom could be adopted to clarify it. Objectives: 1 To study the difference in the academic achievement of students belonging to scheduled caste and nonscheduled caste categories. 2 To study the difference in the academic achievement of boys and girls. 3 To study the interaction between social category and gender with regard to the academic achievement of students. 4 To study the interaction between gender and self concept with regard to the academic achievement of students. 5 To study the interaction between social category and self concept with regard to the academic achieve ment of students. 6 To study the three way interaction between social category, gender and self concept with regard to the academic achievement of students.

Hypothesises: 1 Students belonging to scheduled caste and nonscheduled categories do not differ significantly with regard to their academic achievement. 2 Boys and girls do not differ significantly in their academic achievement. 3 Social category and gender do not interact signifi cantly with regard to the academic achievement of the students. 4 Gender and self- concept do not interact significantly with regard to the academic achievement of the stu dents. 5 Social category and self- concept do not interact significantly with regard to the academic achieve ment of the students. 6 Gender, self- concept and social category do not interact significantly with regard to the academic achievement of the students. Method: Descriptive survey method has been used. Sample: The present study consisted of 300 students of IXth class from urban and rural areas of district Solan of H.P. were selected randomly. Tool: Data was collected by Ahluwalia's Children Self- concept Scale. Design: The (2x2x3) factorial design involving two levels of category i.e. scheduled caste and non-scheduled caste, two levels of gender i.e. male and female and three levels of self-concept i.e. high self- concept, average self- concept and low self- concept was applied. Statistical Technique: For analysis and interpretation of data, the investiga-

SHODH, SAMIKSHA AUR MULYANKAN

International Indexed & Referred Research Journal, May, 2012. ISSN- 0974-2832, RNI-RAJBIL 2009/29954;VoL.IV *ISSUE-40

Table-1 Mean of Academic Achievement scores of Category Gender and Self-concept Male Female SC NSC SC HSC 363.583 418.333 385.083 ASC 369.5 406.416 376.416 LSC 390.666 397.416 357 Total 374.583 407.388 372.833

Students in Relation to their social NSC 458.333 416.916 385.666 420.305 Total 406.333 392.312 382.687 393.777

Source of Variation Category (A) Gender(B) Self-Concept(C) Interaction(AXB) Interaction(BXC) Interaction(AXC) AXBXC Within Condition Total

Table-2 Summary Table of Analysis of Variance df Sum of Mean F Squares Square 1 58000.69 58000.69 16.46072* 1 1122.25 1122.25 0.287487 2 13573.6 6786.799 1.738575 1 1936 1936 0.531801 2 12894.35 6447.174 1.829722 2 17322.54 8661.271 2.218759 1 570.2917 570.2917 0.1630094 133 465303.2 3498.52 143 570722.9 Muthumanickan (1992) who also found no significant difference in the academic achievement of boys and girls. It is also evident from table 2 that main effects of self-concept on the academic achievement of students, irrespective of their social category and gender came out to be 1.739 which is not significant even at.05 level of significance for 2/133df. Table 2 clearly indicates that the interaction effect of social category and gender on the academic achievement of students (AXB) has come out to be 0.532 which is not significant at .05 level of confidence for 1/133 df. This means that there is no significant interaction effect of social category and gender on the academic achievement of student. In the light of this the hypothesis stated as, "social category and gender do not interact significantly with regard to the academic achievement of students" was accept. It is evident from the Table that the interaction effect of gender and self-concept (BXC) has come out 1.83 which is not significant at .05 level of confidence for 2/133 df. Hence the hypothesis stated as, "Gender and self-concept do not interact significantly with regard to academic achievement of students" was accepted. It may be said that the difference in the means of academic achievement scores between the mal and female student is of the same type at different levels of their self- concept i.e. high, average and low. The calculated value of 'F' for the interactional effect of social category and self-concept (AXC) on the academic achievement of student has come out to

tor has used analysis of variance. Results and Discussion: The obtained results have been summarized in Table1&2. From the means of academic achievement scores "F" values were calculated. The results are given in the table-2 It is evident from table 2 that main effects of social category on the academic achievement of student, irrespective of their gender and self-concept came out to be 16.46, which is significant even at .01 level of significance for 1/133 df. Hence the hypothesis that "Student belonging to scheduled caste and non- scheduled caste categories" was rejected. It may be interpreted that non scheduled caste students had significantly higher mean of academic achievement scores (413.85) than their scheduled caste counterparts (373.71). The present study is in agreement with that of Rani (1980),Ahluwalia (1985), Mehta (1985) and Borbora (2001) who found significant difference in the academic achievement of scheduled caste and non scheduled caste students. It is clear from the Table 2 that the main effect of gender on the academic achievement of students irrespective of their social category and self-concept came out to be 0.287, which is not significant even at .05 level of significance for 1/133 df. Hence the hypothesis the "Boys and Girls students do not differ significantly in their academic achievement" was accepted. The present finding is in agreement with that of Samal (1990) and

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International Indexed & Referred Research Journal, May, 2012. ISSN- 0974-2832, RNI-RAJBIL 2009/29954;VoL.IV *ISSUE-40

be 2.219 which is not significant at .05 level of confidence for 2/133 df. Hence the hypothesis stated as, "Gender and self-concept do not interact significantly with regard to academic achievement of students" was accepted. Hence the hypothesis stated as, "Social category and self-concept do not interact significantly with regard to academic achievement of students" was accepted.The Social category, gender and self-concept (AXBXC) interaction in the Table 2 reveals that the 'F' value came out to be 0.163which is not significant at .05 level of confidence for 2/133 df. This indicates that there is no significant interactional effect of Social category, gender and self-concept (AXBXC) on the academic achievement of student. Hence the hypothesis stated as, "Social category, gender and self-concept do not interact significantly with regard to academic achievement of students" was accepted.

Findings of The Study: * Students belonging to scheduled cast and non-scheduled catteries do not differ significantly with regard to their academic achievement. * Boys and girls students do not differ significantly in their academic achievement. * Social category and gender do not interact significantly with regard to the academic achievement of students. * Gender and self-concept do not interact significantly with regard to academic achievement of students. * Social category and self concept do not interact significantly with regard to academic achievement of students. * Social category, self-concept and gender do not interact significantly with regard to academic achievement of students.

R E F E R E N C E
1. Ahluwalia,I. (1985). "A Study of Factors Affecting Academic Achievement", As in Fourth Survey of Research in Education (1983-88), New Delhi: National Council of Educational Research and Training. 2. Borbora, R.D. (2001). "Influence of Paternal Literacy on Academic Achievement of Children Belonging to the Backward Classes: A Study of Kamroop District", Journal of Indian Education, Vol.XXVII, No. 1, May-2001. 3.Mehta, C.P. (1987). "An Investigation into Academic Achievement of Scheduled Caste and Non- Scheduled Caste Students of Saurashtra", In Fourth Survey of Research in Education (1983-88), New Delhi: National Council of Education Research and Training. 4.Muthumanicakan (1992). A Study on the Academic Achievement of Student in Relation to their Gender", Journal of Indian Education, Vol.17, No. 2, July 1992. 5.Rani, B. (1980). " a Study of Self- concept and Non- Cognative Factors Affecting the Academic Achievement of Scheduled Caste Students and Non-Scheduled Caste Students in Institution for Higher Technical Education", In Third Survey of Research in Education (1978-83), New Delhi: National Council of Education Research and Training. 6.Samal (1990). "A Study on the Relationship between Academic Achievement and Gender", The Progress of Education, Vol. LXIV, No.7, fFeb.1990.

SHODH, SAMIKSHA AUR MULYANKAN