Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) towards Environmental Sustainability among Undergraduate Students Studied before and after NEP 2020

Minara Yeasmin

Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Aliah University, Kolkata, India.

Abstract

This study aims to assess and compare knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) towards Environmental Sustainability among undergraduate students before and after NEP 2020 and to compare the mean score of the knowledge, attitudes and practices of students towards sustainability with regard to gender, stream of study, and locality of the students’ residence before and after NEP 2020. Final year UG students who have taken admission before NEP 2020 and first year UG students who have taken admission under NEP 2020 of four different universities of West Bengal formed the population of the study. A descriptive survey was conducted among 424 undergraduate students of four universities. The sample consists of 226 males, 198 females, 159 before NEP and 265 after NEP,234 from B.A. and 190 from B.Sc. Stream, etc. A mixed-method research design was applied to the data from primary sources. For the quantitative part, data were collected by a stratified random sampling technique from the students through a self-developed questionnaire regarding environmental attitude and sustainable behavior practice. Percentages, mean, t-test, ANOVA, etc. were used for analysis of quantitative data. It was found that almost no significant difference exists with respect to gender, but a significant difference was found for the students studied before and after NEP 2020. Students are very eager to know more about sustainable practices through their curriculum. This study will create a skilled green economy workforce through training programs to identify sustainable-related skill gaps among students.

Keywords: Environmental sustainability, Knowledge attitude, Practices, Undergraduate students, NEP 2020

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