Published Paper Details:

This study delves into the multifaceted realm of Emotional Intelligence (EI) as distinct from IQ, drawing from the seminal works of Goleman (1995) and Salovey and Mayer (1990). Five significant elements of EI are identified: self-awareness, handling feelings, self-motivation and control, empathy, and social competence. The research seeks to assess the EI of secondary school students in self-awareness, managing emotions, motivating oneself, empathy, and handling relationships while also investigating variations based on gender and locality. Methodologically, a survey approach is adopted, encompassing a stratified random sample of 201 secondary school students from Vizianagaram district. The Ekta Sharma Emotional Intelligence Test, recognized for its robust Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of 0.9, serves as the assessment tool. The findings shed light on the distribution of EI levels among students, revealing that 14% exhibit low, 72% moderate, and another 14% high EI. Moreover, the majority of students demonstrate moderate EI across the five components, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. The study uncovers noteworthy disparities in EI between male and female students and between urban and rural school settings. These results underscore the significance of cultivating emotional Intelligence among students and advocate for tailored interventions to bolster emotional skills. The study's implications extend to educational practice by emphasizing the necessity of EI-focused curricular integration, teacher training, and parental involvement to foster a more emotionally intelligent learning environment.