http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/10 2026-05-07T21:32:48Z 2026-05-07T21:32:48Z Semwal, Sakshi http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/20492 2026-04-24T06:31:50Z 2024-07-01T00:00:00Z

Title: ENCHANTING REALMS: CONTEXTUALIZING CULTURAL AND REGIONAL UNDERPINNINGS OF MAGICAL REALISM IN SELECT INDIAN FICTION Authors: Semwal, Sakshi Abstract: The current research aims to examine the contextual and cultural foundations of magical realism in Indian literary landscape through a critical analysis of O.V. Vijayan’s The Legends of Khasak (1994), Vinod Kumar Shukla’s A Window Lived in a Wall (2005), Arunav Sinha’s translation of Khwabnama (2021), and Githa Hariharan’s When Dreams Travel (2008). By selecting regional novels from Indian authors, this thesis seeks to highlight how magical realism manifests uniquely across different regions, reflecting local histories, traditions, and socio-cultural dynamics. In regional literature, the magical mode captures the essence of communities whose experiences and worldviews are often marginalized by dominant narratives, concurrently expressing internal marginalization based on caste, class, and gender dynamics. The current study utilizes a diverse methodological approach to investigate magical realism in Indian literature, addressing its intricate intersections with socio-cultural dynamics. By integrating theories on liminality, hybridity, postcolonial trauma, collective memory, and feminist standpoint epistemology, the research illuminates the nuanced expressions of magical realism. The thesis analyses the ontological presence of magical elements in O.V. Vijayan’s seminal work, The Legends of Khasak, a regional masterpiece that transcends narrative storytelling to delve into profound historical and cultural dimensions within a post-colonial context. Engaging in a continuous dialogue with history through magical realism, The Legends of Khasak reflects on the enduring impacts of colonialism on individuals and communities, offering a poignant exploration of the psychological and cultural scars left behind. Additionally, the research illuminates how Vinod Kumar Shukla’s A Window Lived in a Wall transforms ordinary village life into a realm where reality and imagination converge. By creating liminal spaces that accommodate both the tangible and the mythical, Shukla captures the essence of rural existence while revealing underlying socio-economic and political tensions. The research further explores the interplay of reality and imagination within Shukla’s narrative, highlighting its role as a significant site of resistance. By blurring the boundaries between reality and fantasy, Shukla’s characters navigate and confront structures of power and oppression that shape their lives.

2024-07-01T00:00:00Z Kumar, Vijay http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/20491 2026-04-24T06:31:32Z 2024-07-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Revisiting Caste and Nature: An Ecocritical Study of Select Dalit Narratives Authors: Kumar, Vijay Abstract: This thesis seeks to expatiate less familiar or defamiliarised voices from the periphery of the Hindu fourfold social order. It problematises the caste system and its cultural and socio ecological downgrading repercussions borne by Dalits. Through the agency of casteism, Dalits have been segregated into different tropic zones as untouchable, unseeable, impure, and outcaste. Any sort of socio-cultural relations with Dalits are strictly prohibited in the theory of Hindu social codes formulated by the likes of Manu. Although the research acquaints with numerous instances where the caste Hindus violate the rules and laws inscribed in their ‘sacred books’. As a result, Dalits find themselves in a conundrum and face not only social segregation and economic deprivation but also environmental precariousness and vulnerability in their inside and outside lives. Therefore, this research explores the concepts of purity, pollution, ‘naturalisation of caste’, ‘casteisation of nature and natural resources’, landscapes, places and spaces, and denaturalisation of the human body and sexuality et cetera. The thesis navigates into the different aspects of Dalit ecological thoughts and experiences through six Dalit narratives namely Karukku (1992) by Bama, Joothan (2003) by Omprakash Valmiki, The Outcaste (2008) by Sharankumar Limbale, The Prisons We Broke (2008) by Babytai Kamble, The Weave of My Life (2008) by Urmila Pawar, and Bheda (2017) by Akhila Naik.

2024-07-01T00:00:00Z Shukla, Jaya http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/20467 2026-04-20T10:35:50Z 2024-03-01T00:00:00Z

Title: ROLE OF EPISTEMIC EMOTIONS, METACOGNITIVE FEELINGS, MOTIVATION AND TASK CHARACTERISTICS IN KNOWLEDGE EXPLORATION AMONG STUDENTS Authors: Shukla, Jaya Abstract: Knowledge exploration refers to actively seeking information, ideas, and experiences, often beyond immediate task requirements. Although empirical research has primarily focused on exploration in non-academic contexts, such as visual or perceptual tasks, the existing, yet less extensive, body of literature in the educational field highlights the importance of exploration in learning processes. It also calls for a more comprehensive investigation into the factors that can impact exploration behaviour. The present study aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of students' exploratory behaviour and to unravel the influence of affect, motivation, metacognition, and task characteristics on knowledge exploration. As the aim of this study was to understand active knowledge exploration, a low-stake experimental task-based paradigm was used to test the effect of task and individual factors on knowledge exploration. Two experimental studies were conducted, each having two sessions. The experiments were designed using E-prime. The first study sought to explore the roles of metacognitive feelings and academic motivation, as well as the moderating effect of accuracy feedback on the relationship between metacognitive feelings and knowledge exploration. In the first study, 100 participants from high school (52% male, 48% female) participated across two sessions. They were first assessed on academic motivation using the Academic Motivation Scale. Thereafter, they were exposed to a variety of MCQs across 15 trials in each session. In the second study, 104 participants from high school (53.8% Male, 46.2% Female) participated across two sessions. The second study sought to explore the roles of epistemic emotions, task difficulty, and task type on knowledge exploration as well as the mediating role of epistemic emotions on the relationship between task difficulty and knowledge exploration. Two-level ordinal logit regression models were tested to disentangle both within [L1= Questions] and between-person [L2= Individuals] effects. The findings of study 1 revealed that intrinsic motivation positively predicted knowledge exploration whereas extrinsic motivation had a negative effect. Metacognitive feeling of confidence (FOC) had a positive effect on knowledge exploration, while feeling of difficulty (FOD) did not predict knowledge exploration significantly. High confidence error positively predicted knowledge exploration. Thus, it provided substantial evidence for the hypercorrection effect. Interestingly, the results also revealed a significant interaction effect of accuracy and feeling of difficulty on knowledge exploration. It revealed that exploration was higher for correct answers accompanied by strong feeling of difficulty. This observation introduced a fresh perspective to metacognitive vi literature. Findings from study 2 revealed that the likelihood of knowledge exploration increased in case of difficult task. Also, epistemic emotions of surprise, curiosity, and confusion positively predicted knowledge exploration, while no significant effect of boredom was observed on knowledge exploration. The within-person path analysis to observe mediating effect of epistemic emotions was also conducted. The result suggested curiosity and confusion as the significant mediator in the relationship between task difficulty and knowledge exploration. It revealed that difficult task produced higher intensity of curiosity and confusion, which in turn increased the likelihood of knowledge exploration. The result also revealed a significant difference in knowledge exploration with respect to task type. This study significantly contributes to the theoretical framework surrounding knowledge exploration in educational settings by integrating epistemic emotions, metacognitive feelings, and task characteristics into a cohesive model. These findings have significant implications for research, educational practices and policy. It highlights the necessity of integrating epistemic emotions and task difficulty into educational strategies to enhance knowledge exploration. It advocates for pedagogical designs that stimulate curiosity and challenge students appropriately. The findings also advocate for the development of Intelligent Digital Learning Environments (IDLEs) to enhance cognitive engagement by guiding learners through challenging content, leveraging confusion constructively to promote deeper understanding and enrich the learning experience. The study supports a shift towards dynamic, inquiry-based learning models in educational institutions, aligning with policies like India's New Education Policy 2020. This approach encourages emotional engagement and fosters curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity, suggesting that educational strategies should focus on stimulating students' intrinsic motivation, metacognition, and leveraging epistemic emotions as catalysts for knowledge exploration.

2024-03-01T00:00:00Z Shastri, Shidganesh Anirudh http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/20466 2026-04-20T10:35:28Z 2024-07-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Perceived Military to Civilian Transition Among Indian Ex-Servicemen and Its Effect on Life Satisfaction: Mediating Role of Coping Strategies Authors: Shastri, Shidganesh Anirudh Abstract: The Indian armed forces require a youthful, experienced, and focused force to manage wide spectrum of combat-related work, making retirement a critical aspect of military organization. Annually, nearly 60,000 military personnel from the Indian armed forces retire or are released from active service. This study explores the subjective experience of Military to Civilian Transition and Life Satisfaction among Ex-servicemen (ESM) in India. The first objective is to operationalize and develop a tool for measuring the subjective experience of Military to Civilian Transition among ESM. Perceived Military to Civilian Transition (PMCT) is defined as the subjective experience of transitioning from military to civilian life, involving changes in vocational, social, health, and family domains. Through cross-sectional surveys (Study 1 N = 25, Study 2= 82, Study 3=368), a 9-item psychometric tool for evaluating PMCT was developed and validated, demonstrating satisfactory internal consistency, composite reliability and model fit. A correlational study with a cross-sectional design was conducted using a sample of 368 re employed, married, male ESM. Data was collected via Google Forms on the PMCT scale, Brief COPE, and satisfaction scales from the Well-being Inventory. Descriptive analysis was followed by Hypothesis testing using simple regression analysis, simple mediation analysis and One-way ANOVA. The results of second objective revealed that PMCT has a negative impact on Life Satisfaction. Further, the third objective was achieved by performing the simple mediation analysis. The coping strategies substance use and self-blame complementarily mediate the relationship between PMCT and Life satisfaction while emotional support serve as competitive mediators. However, venting, instrumental support, positive reframing, humour, acceptance and religion did not mediate the relationship between PMCT and Life Satisfaction. The final objective examines sociodemographic differences in PMCT and life satisfaction among ESM. The analysis showed significant variations in PMCT and Life Satisfaction based on military rank and re employment status. There is significant difference in PMCT and Life Satisfaction between ESM retired from Officer rank as compared to ESM retired from Sepoy & NCO, JCO rank. While, no significant difference was observed in PMCT and Life Satisfaction between ESM retired from Sepoy & NCO rank as compared to ESM retired from JCO rank. Incase of re-employment, Unemployed ESM have significantly higher PMCT and lower Life Satisfaction as compared to Re-employed and Retired ESM. The results indicate that ESMs retiring from lower military ranks and those unemployed post-retirement experience higher PMCT and lower satisfaction. I In conclusion, this study delves into the nuanced dynamics of PMCT and Satisfaction among Indian ESM, identifying significant coping strategies and sociodemographic disparities. It reveals that PMCT adversely affects Life satisfaction, with varying coping strategies mediating these effects. Employing the healthy coping strategies of Emotional Support reduces distress, while unhealthy coping strategies of Substance Use and Self-blame increase distress. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for smoother transitions, especially for unemployed and lower-ranking ESM. Policymakers and practitioners must leverage these insights to develop tailored interventions supporting ESM's well-being post-service, thus fostering a smoother MCT in Indian ESM.

2024-07-01T00:00:00Z