Assessing Awareness of Sustainable Development among Higher Secondary School Students in Coochbehar District, West Bengal, India

Abstract

Sustainable development, has become a crucial global concern, particularly for highly populated countries like India, because development defined as meeting present needs without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own. This study explores the awareness of Sustainable Development (SD) among higher secondary school students in the Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. Adolescence is a critical developmental stage where knowledge and attitudes towards sustainability can significantly influence behavior and resource use. The research employed a descriptive survey method with a purposive sample of 80 students from classes XI and XII. Data was collected using a standardized self-developed questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-tests. Results indicate that a majority of students exhibit a moderate level of awareness towards SD, with no significant differences in awareness based on gender or locality. These findings underscore the need for targeted educational interventions to enhance awareness and positively shape students’ attitudes and behaviors toward sustainable development. The study contributes to literature and research on environmental education and calls for integrating sustainability more effectively into the secondary school curriculum.