GENDER ROLES AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS: A STUDY OF ADOLESCENT PERSPECTIVES

The urgent global challenges of environmental degradation, climate change, and biodiversity loss underscore the need for a robust foundation of environmental consciousness among the younger population. Adolescents, as future custodians of the planet, play a crucial role in promoting sustainability. This study has investigated the level of environmental awareness among adolescents in Imphal West district of Manipur, a region rich in biodiversity but increasingly affected by urbanisation and ecological pressures. Employing a descriptive survey design, the study has targeted secondary and higher secondary school students (aged 13–18 years) using the ‘Environmental Awareness Ability Measurement scale’ developed by Dr. Praveen Kumar Jha. For the purpose of the study, a sample of 200 secondary and higher secondary students (out of which 100 are male and 100 are female) from four schools affiliated to the Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur have been selected using stratified random sampling. The collected data have been interpreted using Mean, Standard Deviation and t-value. The results have revealed an above average level of environmental awareness among the adolescents. It has been found that there is no significant difference in environmental awareness between male and female adolescents.