http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/30 Sat, 17 Oct 2026 08:24:58 GMT 2026-10-17T08:24:58Z http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/21121 Title: QX CHILD MALNUTRITION IN INDIA: EVIDENCE FROM NATIONAL FAMILY HEALTH SURVEY- 4 Authors: Rajput, Kajal Abstract: Good nutrition allows children to survive, grow, develop, learn, play, participate and contribute while malnutrition robs children of their futures leaves young lives hanging in the balance’. Appropriate amount of Nutrition is essential for human body. As we know that Health is Wealth. Without good health we can’t get human development, economic growth because lack of nutrition leads to depression, mental illness, weakness in the body. Malnutrition is due to both undernutrition as well as overnutrition and refers to deficiencies, imbalances and excesses in the intake of nutrients, energy and other protein. Malnutrition is a worldwide problem that has many forms. Every country is affected by these starving problems faced specially in the children due to lack of the required essential nutrients. This problem affecting all categories including poor people, rich people and all aged group without any disparities. Malnutrition mainly allies with the health illness and high level of mortality. The underdeveloped and poor country are mainly affected by the malnutrition due to lack of awareness, the poverty, lack of education and lack of the required resources. Benefits of good health is not only seen at individual level but also at the level of society and country as well. Malnutrition is a term refers to deficiency, excess or imbalances in somebody’s intake of energy and/other nutrients. In simple words, malnutrition can either be due to inadequate intake or an excess intake of calories. Malnutrition in simple words, is a dietary deficiency that results in poor health conditions. Individual’s health foundation is laid in early stage of life. It is a fact that in some developing countries, India is one of them, approximately half of children under 5 years of age led to death every year due to lack of poor nutrition. It is difficult for the poor people to bear the treatment cost especially occurring out-of-pocket expenditures. Irregular eating and intake of unhealthy food results in gain of weight. According to Health experts, doctors this problem is referred to as Malnutrition. The irony is that India is the world second largest food producer and yet home to majorly malnourished people. Sun, 01 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/21121 2022-05-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/20492 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. Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/20492 2024-07-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/20491 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. Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/20491 2024-07-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/20467 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. Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://localhost:8081/jspui/handle/123456789/20467 2024-03-01T00:00:00Z