Effect of Socio-Economic Status on the Educational Aspirations of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Class X Students

Abstract

The present study aimed to assess the effect of socio-economic status on the educational aspirations of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students. A total of 600 SC and ST students studying in Class 10 were selected from the Janjgir-Champa district. The students were chosen from both government and non-government schools to ensure proper representation of SC and ST students belonging to different socio-economic backgrounds. The sample was included in the study using a purposive sampling method. To measure educational aspiration, the Educational Aspiration Inventory developed by Pradeep Kumar (2012) was used. The results revealed that socio-economic status has a significant effect on the educational aspirations of SC and ST students. Students belonging to a high socio-economic status exhibited higher educational aspirations compared to those from middle and low socio-economic backgrounds, while students from low socio-economic status showed the lowest level of educational aspiration. The calculated F value of 44.22 further confirmed this finding at the 0.05 level of significance. In conclusion, the socio-economic status of SC and ST students influences their future educational aspirations.