IOSR Journal of Business and Management (IOSR-JBM) e-ISSN: 2278-487X. Volume 7, Issue 5 (Jan. - Feb. 2013), PP 63-76 www.iosrjournals.org www.iosrjournals.org 63 | Page Occupational Stress among the Teachers of the Higher Secondary Schools in Madurai District, Tamil Nadu Dr. S.S.Jeyaraj Business Studies Lecturer, Department of Accounting and Commerce,International Universal (Junior College) School, Jakarta, Indonesia. Abstract: The aim of the study is to determine the Occupational Stress level of Government and Aided Higher Secondary School Teachers living in different socio-cultural and economic situations. The scale used in the study has been developed by researches. 185 Aided school teachers and 120 Government teachers have participated in the present study. At the end of the study it was seen that Aided school teachers have more occupational stress levels than Government school teachers. There is a meaningful difference in the stress level points of Government and Aided Higher Secondary Teachers. Policy makers are advised to analyse the teacher training and assessment system with the assumption that personal and social characteristics and working conditions may have an effect on teacher occupational stress. Results also showed that teachers who reported greater stress were less satisfied with teaching, reported greater frequency of absences and a greater number of total days absent, were more likely to leave teaching (career intention), and less likely to take up a teaching career again (career commitment).Implications for further research are also discussed. Keywords: Inter-role distance, Role Ambiguity, Role Stagnation, Role Stress, Self-role distance, Teacher Occupational stress. I. Introduction 1.1 Introduction Stress is a common feature in our lives, especially as the pace of development increases. Work is a common term which is applied for all sorts of occupation. It is a basic condition for most people and is an important component of the atmosphere for human survival. It is also a major element for the development of the individual as well as the economy of the nation. Many adults spend half of their lives in work related activities. It is natural to experience work related stress on tension or strain in the body or the mind if there is no release or outlet for the bent-up feelings. A phrase „stress collapses everything‟ has a prominent place in the minds of millions. It is a silent killer in the modern age. The word „stress‟ is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “a state of affairs involving demand on physical or mental energy”. In medical parlance „stress‟ is defined as a perturbation of the body‟s homeostasis. Extreme stress conditions are detrimental to human health. But in moderation stress is normal and in many cases, proves useful. An occupational stress can be caused by too much or too little work, time pressure and deadlines, fatigue from physical strains of work environment, excessive travelling, long hours, having to cope with changes in work. [1] An occupational stress is any force that pushes a psychological or physical factor behind its range of stability, producing a strain within the individuals. Knowledge that stress is likely to occur constitutes a threat to the individual. A threat can cause a strain because of what it signifies to the person. As occupational stress begins to take toll on the body and mind, a variety of symptoms can result.2] Working in organisations not only provides individuals with life sustaining income but also exerts its own pressures on them. This can ultimately have negative consequences both for achieving the goals of the organisation and meeting the needs of the individuals working in them. Thus, the work environment is a source of social and psychological stress, which has harmful effects on the well-being of the employees. Stress in general and occupational stress in particular is universal and frequently disabling human phenomenon. Stress arising at work has detrimental effect on the behaviour of people, which ultimately results in personal and organisational inefficiency. Occupational stress can be described as a condition where occupation related factors interact with the worker to change (disrupt/ enhance) his or her psychological or physiological condition, so that the person‟s mind and/or body is forced to deviate from its normal way of functioning. [3] 1.2 Statement of the Problem The progress of a nation is limited to its productive capacity, which in turn depends upon the calibre of its higher secondary education. The education system in general and the higher secondary education system in particular are instruments to develop the human capital as economic assets for wealth generation and also as social assets for improving the quality of the life of the people. The education system should provide scope for