ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND SELF-CONCEPT OF SECONDARY LEVEL STUDENTS

The purpose of this research is to investigate the relations of Academic achievement and Self-Concept in relation to gender, area of school and type of the school of secondary level Students. The sample for the investigation comprises of total 400 secondary class students, where 200 boys and 200 girls of class IXth from various government or sarvodaya vidhalayas and public schools in East Delhi and North-East Delhi within the age range of 15-16 years, from urban and rural areas were taken as a sample in the academic year of 2011-2012 participated in the research."The Academic Achievement Motivation Scale" was used as data collecting tool developed by Dr. T. R. Sharma (2005) and Swatva Bodh Parikshan (SBP) scale by Dr. (Mrs) G.P. Sherry, Dr. R.P. Verma and Dr. P.K. Goswami (1988)to measure the Self-Concept. The descriptive statistics, pearson's coefficient of correlation and t-test were used in the analysis of data. One of the findings of the study was that no significant difference was observed in the self concept of the secondary level student in gender, and management variation, but urban students have better self-concept than rural students. Results further revealed non significant difference in achievement motivation with regard to locale and management variation of secondary level students, but boys showed better academic achievement than girls. Another finding of the study revealed that socio-economic self-concept of the girls was better than their counterpart, results of the study also revealed that temperamental qualities, emotional tendencies and mental health of urban students were better as compared to rural students. The study also revealed significant relationship between the two variables of self-concept and academic achievement. Based on the findings of the study, suggestions for increasing the academic achievement of the students have been developed.