Analysis of Retention and Progression of Home Science Graduates in Northern India

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Ritu Mittal, Sukhdeep Kaur, Kiranjot Sidhu, and Manjot Kaur (Department of Extension Education and Communication Management, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab)

Any educational institution is incomplete without students. Educational institutions are established for the future of students. Student’s academic performance can only illuminate in future with higher education and other vocational courses. Home Science emerged as an internship in science, with which students have the opportunity to demonstrate skills in many vocational and career choices. In the current study, an attempt was made to analyze enrollment, retention and progression of Home Science graduates in northern SAUs of India. Survey questionnaires were developed to collect the primary and secondary data so as to elicit structured responses in a quantifiable term. Sample of the study consisted of the Home Science graduates who had completed their B.Sc. during the period 2012-13 to-2016-17 from seven selected SAUs from the northern states of India. The list of the students along with their contact numbers and e-mail ID’s was collected from respective SAU’s. Data indicated that during five years span, out of admission of 1219 students, 79.08 per cent students passed out while 20.91 per cent dropped before completing their degrees. Students admitted through ICAR-AIEEA (PG) were 2.62 per cent which was very less as compared to 25 per cent seats reserved for ICAR students. Overall, more than one third (38.34%) of the students opted for M.Sc and 18.94 per cent for PhD after completing bachelors in Home Science. In case of employment status it was found that at the time of data collection, more than half (57.29%) of the Home Science graduates were pursuing higher education in various institutions and about 30 per cent were engaged in various professional works in Public as well as private sectors while remaining 13.66 per cent Home Science students were unemployed.