Institutional Climate and Its Impact on Academic Achievement of Secondary School Students in Lakshadweep

Abstract

Institutional climate, which includes the norms, values, relationships, and organisational practices within a school, significantly influences students’ learning experiences. Despite extensive research highlighting the importance of institutional climate in influencing students’ academic achievement and overall development, there remains a significant gap in context-specific studies, particularly in geographically isolated regions like Lakshadweep.  The present study examines the relationship between institutional climate and academic achievement among secondary school students in Lakshadweep. Institutional climate refers to the overall environment of the school, including interpersonal relationships, infrastructure, teaching practices, and administrative support. A descriptive survey method was adopted, and a sample of 120 students was selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a self-constructed Institutional Climate Scale and academic achievement scores from school records. Statistical techniques such as mean, standard deviation, t-test, and Pearson correlation were employed. The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between institutional climate and academic achievement. The results revealed that the majority of students experience a moderate level of institutional climate (53.3%) and academic achievement (58.3%), indicating average school environment conditions and performance levels. The mean scores further confirmed that both institutional climate (M = 102.45, SD = 15.32) and academic achievement (M = 58.76, SD = 12.48) are at moderate levels. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.68) was found between institutional climate and academic achievement, which was significant at the 0.01 level, suggesting that a better school environment leads to improved student performance. The study emphasises the importance of creating a supportive and positive school climate to enhance student performance. The study concludes that enhancing institutional climate is essential for improving academic achievement and promoting the overall development of students. The findings provide valuable insights for educators, administrators, and policymakers to create positive school environments that support effective learning.