An Analytical Study Of Life Skills Of Undergraduate Students

Abstract

This research paper, “An Analytical Study of Life Skills of Undergraduate Students,” scientifically examines a highly significant issue related to the mental, social, behavioral, and vocational development of students within India’s higher education system. In today’s competitive and technologically advanced environment, life skills have become the foundation of the holistic personality development of students; therefore, an analytical study of these skills among undergraduate youth is highly relevant. The main objective of the study was to examine whether there exists any significant difference in the life skills of students on the basis of gender (male/female) and area of residence (rural/urban). Keeping this objective in mind, two major hypotheses were formulated: the first hypothesis stated that there is no significant difference in life skills between male and female undergraduate students, and the second hypothesis stated that there is no significant difference in life skills between rural and urban undergraduate students. The population of the study consisted of undergraduate students studying in various colleges of Kanpur district. From this population, a sample of 500 students was selected using the stratified random sampling method to ensure representativeness and objectivity of the sample. The Life Skills Questionnaire developed by Dr. Anjum Ahmad and Mrs. Sabba Parveen was used as the research tool. This questionnaire included major dimensions of life skills such as decision-making ability, problem-solving, communication skills, self-awareness, empathy, stress management, time management, leadership ability, creativity, and critical thinking. For statistical analysis, mean, standard deviation, and t-test were used to scientifically examine the nature of differences between groups. The results of the analysis revealed that no significant difference was found in the life skills of male and female students, indicating that the development of life skills at the higher education level does not show any notable variation on the basis of gender. This finding suggests that life skills development depends more on students’ individual abilities, experiences, and academic environment rather than on gender. On the other hand, a significant difference was found in the life skills of rural and urban students, with urban students demonstrating a higher level of life skills compared to their rural counterparts. This difference indicates that better educational resources, technological facilities, opportunities for personality development, social participation, and diverse experiences available in urban environments promote the development of life skills, whereas limited resources, fewer facilities, and lack of opportunities in rural areas result in comparatively lower development of these skills. Overall, this study emphasizes the need for the enhancement of life skills in higher education and highlights the necessity of special training programs, workshops, and expansion of resources in rural areas to reduce regional disparities in life skills development. The study provides important guidelines for education policymakers, colleges, teachers, and social organizations to more effectively develop the life skills of undergraduate students in the future, thereby enhancing employability, social competence, and personal empowerment.