STUDY HABITS OF HIGHER SECONDARY STUDENTS RESIDING IN GOVERNMENT WELFARE HOSTELS IN TIRUCHIRAPPALLI DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU

The study aims to find out the relationship between the socio-economic and the demographic characteristics of higher secondary students (N=559, male 311, female 248) residing in government hostels run by Adi-Dravidar Welfare Department in Tiruchirappalli district, Tamil Nadu. Out of 684 students, 559 students were selected from all 37 hostels by adopting census method. A self prepared questionnaire was used for collecting data in respect of socio-economic and demographic variables and an instrument on Study Habits and Attitude was used to find out the study habits of the respondents. The result shows that sex, caste, place of living, parents occupation, presence of alcoholic fathers, private tuition, school coaching and extra-curricular activities have significant influence on the study habits of the respondents. Further, the study shows that age, class, religion, course, school, birth order, parental education, income, marital status, type and size of family, have no significant influence on study habits of the respondents. An understanding of the socio-economic and the demographic characteristics of the respondents is very essential to develop good study habits of students residing in government welfare hostels.