108 ntroduction Study habits are basically learning tendencies that enable students to work privately. Azikiwe (1998) describes the study habit as “the adopted way and manner a student plans his private readings, after classroom learning so as to attain mastery of the subject”. According to her,” good study habits are good assets to learners because they (habits) assist student to attain mastery in areas of specialization and consequent excellent performance, while opposite constitute constraints to learning and achievement leading to failure” Good (1998) define the term study habits as: The student's way of study whether systematic, efficient or inefficient etc. Going by this definition it literally means that good study habits produces positive academic performance while inefficient study habit leads to academic failure. Poor habits of study are one of the important causes of educational backwardness. The potential of any one for full scholastic achievement is hardly ever realized due to many factors. Attempts are made to remove obstacles to higher attainments by improving quality of instruction, instructional material, educational environments, and so on. On the part of student also, attempts are made to improve his motivation, interest and work-habits so that he can make maximum of his potential. Habits help the individual to do something with less effort and thought. They are important and play crucial role in shaping the personality of the individual. In the field of education study habits are approaches applied to learning. They are generally critical to success in school. They are considered for acquiring good grades and are useful for learning throughout one's life. There are arrays of study habits, which may tackle the process of organizing and taking in information, retaining information or dealing with assessments. Study habits refer to the activities carried out by learners during the process of improving learning. Study habits are intended to elicit and guide one's cognitive processes. According to Patel (1976) study habits include home environment & planning of work, reading & note taking habits, planning of subjects, habits of concentration, preparation for examination, general habits & attitudes, school environments. Habit is a second nature; it is the routine of a person what he or she does in every condition. It cannot be changed; it may be good or bad. It does not get affected by the change of place or schedule. A habit is something that is done on a scheduled, regular, planned basis and that is not relegated to a I EFFECT OF STUDY HABIT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS 17 ? Dr. Jaya Golatkar SANSHODHAN - ISSN 2249-8567 NATIONAL LEVEL PEER REVIEWED ANNUAL RESEARCH JOURNAL