© 2018 JETIR May 2018,Volume 5, Issue 5 www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162)
JETIR1805A22 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org 128
Community Perception Towards
Students’ Involvement in Politics
Dr. Lekhan Gogoi
Assistant Professor
Department of Education
Moridhal College
Abstract
The core of success of democratic government rests upon the extent of people participation, involvement of
organizations and pressure groups, including students’ organisations in government machinery. But a research
gap is found regarding students involvement in politics from the perspectives of community perception. The
present investigation has made an attempt to ascertain the community perception towards students’
involvement in politics. Data was collected from a sample of 200 community people including students,
teachers, other professional persons, common people and political party people. The study found that attitudes
of the majority of students and political party people towards students’ involvement in politics are positive and
significant; while the attitudes of the teachers, other professional persons and common people are
unfavourable towards the same. There is no significant difference between male and female respondents,
teachers and other professional persons, and common people and political party people in respect to their
attitudes towards students’ involvement in politics. But, a significant difference is found between students and
teachers in respect of their attitudes towards students’ involvement in politics.
ds: Students’ Politics, Community Perception, Students’ Political Participation, Students’ Political Involvement)
INTRODUCTION
Socio-economic development of a nation depends to a large extent upon the political will of the people and
their participation in political issues. It is more significant in a heterogeneous country like India so that issues of
different castes, communities, religions, languages and even geographical variations can be addressed
appropriately in the political as well as government platforms. Moreover, the core of success of democratic
government rests upon the extent of people participation in government policies and activities. As such, several
organizations and pressure groups actively involved in politics by their demands to government machinery.
Several student organizations are also seemed to be involved either directly or indirectly in politics.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A review of the earlier research studies shows that most of the studies are related to political participation of
students at institutional level as well as in the forefront of the democratic machinery. Raill and Hollander
(2006) observed that students prefer “political engagement,” rather than “politics” to describe the various
strategies students use within the public realm to create change.
E.J. Dionne’s (2000) quoting about the New Student Politics concludes that, “the great reforming generations
are the ones that marry the aspirations of service to the possibilities of politics and harness the good work done
in local communities to transform a nation.”