ABSTRACT
The landscape of science education is frequently bifurcated by geographical disparities that influences students’ psychological readiness and academic achievement. This pilot study investigates the disparity between urban and rural secondary school students in the Saraikela Kharsawan district of Jharkhand regarding their self-efficacy in Organic Chemistry and level of academic anxiety. The study utilizes descriptive-survey research design involving stratified sampling from senior secondary school students belonging to urban and rural educational settings. Data were collected by adopting a stratified sampling technique from 200 students (100 urban, 100 rural) using the Organic Chemistry Self Efficacy Scale and Academic Anxiety Scale. Statistical analysis Mean, SD, t-tests and Correlation Coefficient were employed to measure the variance between two cohorts and to find relation between them respectively. Results of the study (t-test = 4.87) indicate a significant “urban advantage” in self-efficacy, likely bolstered by greater access to specialized tutoring and laboratory resources, while academic anxiety (t-test 0.039) of rural students reported higher which is not significant at p < 0.01 level. A negative correlation (-0.039) was found between organic chemistry self-efficacy and academic anxiety which indicates statistically significant, weak to moderate negative correlation exists between two variables that is higher the level of organic chemistry self-efficacy means lower academic anxiety. The findings of this pilot study may provide vital insights for policymakers and educators aiming to create a more inclusive and psychologically supportive environment for science education across all geographical boundaries.
Keywords: Science Education, Organic Chemistry, Self-Efficacy, Academic Anxiety, Urban-Rural Divide.
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