E-Learning, Surveillance, and Student Mental Health: A Quantitative Study of Higher Education Students in Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

E-learning has grown in popularity in India in recent years, particularly among students getting ready for competitive exams like NEET, JEE, and the civil services. With a focus on Tamil Nadu higher education students. This study examines the current status and role of e-learning in contemporary education. The study identifies the key challenges and opportunities associated with e-learning, particularly in terms of accessibility, engagement, support systems, and mental health outcomes among students, drawing on Michel Foucault's theory of disciplinary governmentality. The study uses quantitative survey methods, sample size of 200 undergraduate students from a variety of academic programs was made, and they contributed information about their experiences with e-learning, infrastructure availability, engagement levels, and psychological reactions. Using the chi-square test for the analysis. The findings show that although students value the accessibility and flexibility of online learning, they also face major obstacles such as screen fatigue, stress, burnout, and a lack of peer contact. These difficulties are especially severe for first-generation and rural learners, who encounter mental and physical obstacles when adjusting to digital media. The statistical results emphasize high device access and reliable scale (α=0.912), positive attitudes towards teachers and technology, but connectivity issues and uncertain classroom equivalence persist among students. The analysis emphasizes how emotional tiredness and anxiety are exacerbated by the ongoing need to maintain self-control and academic achievement in online environments. The results highlight the need for e-learning settings that are more sympathetic, culturally sensitive, and psychologically supportive. By highlighting the emotional labour and psychosocial costs associated with digital education, this study adds to the expanding conversation on the subject and calls on educators, legislators, and EdTech developers to reconsider digital pedagogies in a way that strikes a balance between student well-being and technological  efficiency.