Assessment of emotional intelligence of agricultural students: A case from agricultural colleges of Ri-bhoi district, Meghalaya

Introduction

Emotions such as happiness, fear, anger, and sadness are fundamental to human life and shape individual behavior and social interactions. The concept of emotional intelligence (EI) defined as the ability to perceive, understand, and regulate emotions to promote intellectual and emotional growth, provides a framework for understanding these differences (Mayer et al., 2004) [7] . EI integrates both cognitive and affective domains, extending beyond traditional intelligence to include emotional awareness and management (Schutte et al., 1998) [12] . Unlike general intelligence, EI is dynamic and can be developed over time, contributing significantly to emotional well-being, academic achievement, mental health and overall life success (Barrett et al., 2001; Parker et al., 2004) [3, 8] . In the context of agricultural education, emotional intelligence is increasingly recognized as essential for developing competent and resilient professionals. Despite its importance, limited research has focused on assessing EI among agriculture students, where technical training has traditionally been prioritized over socio-emotional skills (Akers et al., 2004) [2] . Assessing EI can enhance students' communication, leadership, teamwork and decision-making abilities while improving stress management and well-being (Brackett et al., 2011) [4] . Therefore, this study aims to assess the level of emotional intelligence among agriculture students in Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya and examine variations across different groups, contributing to more holistic and adaptive agricultural education.

Objectives

Results and Discussion

Table 2 shows that most respondents (48.6%) were in the 21-23 years age group, followed by 24-26 years (24.3%). The majority students were male (62.2%), while females accounted for 37.8%. Most respondents were M.Sc students (40.5%), followed by UG (39.2%) and PhD (20.3%). A higher proportion of respondents were from COA, Kyrdemkulai (39.2%), followed by SNRM (23.0%), SSS (19.6%), SCI (14.2%), and SCP (4.1%). Table 3 showed that out of 148 respondents, 68 (46%) had a medium level of emotional intelligence, followed by 41 (28%) with high and 39 (26%) with low levels, indicating that majority of respondents possessed a moderate level of emotional intelligence. These findings are consistent with the theoretical framework of emotional intelligence proposed by Goleman (1995) [5] who emphasized that emotional intelligence develops over time through learning and experience. The predominance of a medium level of emotional intelligence suggests that most respondents are still in the process of developing their emotional understanding and regulation abilities. Further, the presence of a considerable proportion of respondents with high emotional intelligence (28%) indicates that some individuals have developed stronger emotional intelligence. At the same time, the existence of 26% respondents with low emotional intelligence highlights the need for interventions such as training, counselling or educational programs to enhance emotional intelligence levels among students. These results are further supported by the ability-based model of emotional intelligence developed by Salovey and Mayer (1990) [11] , which suggests that emotional intelligence can be enhanced through learning and practice. Additionally, Mayer et al. (2004) [7] further emphasized that emotional intelligence is a set of abilities that can be developed and improved over time.

Emotional Intelligence levels of Agricultural Students

Emotional Intelligence level between male and female students

Study Hypothesis www.extensionjournal.com H0-There is no significant difference in the Emotional Intelligence level between male and female. H1-There is significant difference in the Emotional Intelligence level between male and female. A Mann-Whitney U test was conducted to compare emotional intelligence (EIN) between male and female respondents. The results (Table 4) showed a significant difference between the groups (U = 1801.000, Z = -3.065, p = 0.002). The mean rank for males (82.92) was higher than that for female students (60.66), indicating that male students had higher emotional intelligence than female students. .002 So, present study revealed a statistically significant difference in emotional intelligence (EI) across gender, with male respondents exhibiting higher mean rank scores than female respondents among agricultural students. This indicates that emotional intelligence varied significantly between gender groups within the agricultural academic context. However, existing literature presents inconsistent findings. Kafetsios (2004) [6] reported that females scored significantly higher in emotional intelligence. Similarly, Patel (2017) [9] found that female students possessed stronger emotional intelligence than males. These findings contradict the results of the present study, where male agricultural students demonstrated relatively higher emotional intelligence. Conversely, some studies support the present findings. Ahmad et al. (2009) [1] reported higher emotional intelligence among males, particularly in emotional selfregulation. Likewise, Rao and Komala (2017) [10] observed that males exhibited higher emotional intelligence than females among youth, the present study aligns with the direction of these findings among agricultural students.

A critical interpretation suggests that gender differences in emotional intelligence among agricultural students may be influenced by the nature of their academic environment, which often emphasizes field-based learning, problemsolving, and practical exposure. Such experiences may enhance emotional self-regulation and self-awareness, particularly among male students, as also suggested by Ahmad et al. (2009) [1] .

Conclusion

Majority of agricultural students possess a moderate level of emotional intelligence, indicating considerable scope for further improvement through targeted interventions and training programmes. A significant gender difference was observed, with male agricultural student demonstrating higher emotional intelligence compared to female. These findings highlight the need to integrate emotional intelligence development into agricultural education to enhance students personal, academic and professional competencies, ultimately contributing to more effective and resilient future agricultural professionals.

References

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