60 Indian Res. J. Ext. Edu. 8 (2&3), May & September 2008 Impact of KVK Training Programme on Socio –economic Status and Knowledge of Trainees in Allahabad District A. K. Dubey 1 , J.P.Srivastva 2 , R. P. Singh 3 and V.K.Sharma 4 1. SMS, KVK, (C.R.U.R.R.S.,Hazaribag /C.R.R.I., Cuttack, Orissa ) Jainagar, Koderma, Jharkhand. 2. Dean and Head (Ag..Ext.) K.A. P.G. College, Allahabad 3. Asso. Director Extension, KVK, Hastinapur, SVBPUA&T, Meerut, 4. Lecturer, R.B.S.College, Bichpuri, Agra Corresponding Author E-mail: akdubeykvk@yahoo.com ABSTRACT The study was undertaken among 150 on-campus trainees and 150 off-campus trainees spread among ten purposively selected villages under five blocks under the domain of KVK Allahabad.The 15 on-campus trainees and 15 off- campus trainees were selected randomly from each selected villages. Two variables namely, respondents’ socio- economic status and their level of knowledge about the training programme of the selected KVK were measured by utilizing pre-structured and pre-tested interview schedule. Findings of the study showed that majority (43.33 %) of on-campus trainees had medium socio-economic status followed by low (36 %) socio-economic status and only 20.67 per cent had high level of socio-economic status. However, in case of off-campus trainees, 55.33 per cent had low socio-economic status followed by 42 per cent medium level and only 2.67 per cent high level of socio- economic status. The study revealed considerable difference between on and off-campus trainees regarding their socio-economic status. It was also found that majority (74.67 %) of the on-campus trainee respondents had high level of knowledge followed by medium level of knowledge (24 %) and low level of knowledge (1.33%), whereas in case of on-campus trainees 75.34 per cent respondents had medium level of knowledge, 15.33 per cent had high level of knowledge followed by 9.33 per cent who had low level of knowledge about the KVK training programme. This indicates that there has been a significant difference between the on and off-campus trainees with regard to their knowledge about KVK training programme. Key words: Training; Socio-economic status; Knowledge; In order to ameliorate the poor socio-economic conditions of the farmers, farm women and rural youths in rural India by raising the level of farm productivity, income and employment with application of agricultural innovation generated at research station, an innovative extension education institutions i.e. Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) was introduced by Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Socio-economic status is an important factor, which pervades all fields of social action in Indian society. This is needless to say that a man’s position in the socio- economic status hierarchy determines, by-an-large, his behaviour in the society. People belonging to higher socio- economic status are said to be more modernized in their values and behaviours than the people who are in comparatively low ranges of the socio-economic status. Knowledge may be defined as those behaviour and test situations, which emphasize upon memorization the remembering, either by recognition or recall of ideas. One of the main tasks of Krishi Vigyan Kendra is to provide and improve the level of knowledge of the trainees about the improved farm practices, because knowledge is cognitive component of individual’s mind and plays an important role in covert as well as overt behaviour and individuals with a greater knowledge of technical nature of improved practices would lead to a high adoption possibly because knowledge is not inert. Once knowledge is acquired and retained, it undergoes and produces changes in the thinking process and of mental alchemy. This study was, therefore, conducted to ascertain the level of socio-economic condition of the farmers as well as their prevailing level of awareness knowledge of the KVK training programme. METHODOLOGY KVK, Allahabad was selected purposively. For selection of respondents, the total respondents were 300, consisting of 150 on-campus trainees and 150 off-campus trainees. The data were collected through personal interview method using structural schedule .The ex-post facto research design was employed in the present investigation. The entire data were transformed into normal scores. The level of knowledge was categorized as low, medium, and high on the basis of scores obtained.