A Comparative Study of Emotional Maturity, Mental Fatigue, and Academic Performance in Secondary Class Students Participating in Extracurricular and Co-curricular Activities

This study aims to investigate the impact of extracurricular (ECA) and co-curricular activities (CCA) on the emotional maturity, mental fatigue, and academic performance of secondary school students. Adolescents often experience emotional instability and mental fatigue due to academic pressure and routine learning. Participation in extracurricular and co-curricular activities has been shown to support psychological well-being and enhance academic engagement. The present research is a cross-sectional, comparative study conducted on a sample of 600 students (200 each from CBSE, ICSE, and UP Boards) from the Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh. Students are selected using stratified random sampling and categorized based on their involvement in ECA and CCA through group interviews. Standardized tools will be used to measure emotional maturity (SK Mangal Scale), mental fatigue (Dr. Vivek Bhargav Scale), and academic performance (Carson Birchmeier et al.). The statistical analysis will involve ANOVA and correlation to compare and examine relationships across groups based on gender, school board, and activity type. This study seeks to provide empirical evidence on how non-academic participation influences students’ emotional and academic development.