Author(s): Dr. Meenakshi Tripathi

Abstract:
This research investigates the impact of school environment on the verbal and non-verbal intellectual performance of rural pre-adolescents in Ludhiana, Punjab, India. The study categorizes children as intellectually superior, average, or below average, analyzing how their intellectual performance evolves with age and how it is influenced by school infrastructure, teacher-student relationships, administrative support, and extracurricular activities. Hypothesis testing reveals that while no significant differences exist between verbally superior and average students in their perception of school environment, significant differences are observed between superior and below average students. For non-verbal intelligence, a positive correlation (0.49) is found between school environment and intellectual performance, with the chi-square value (48.60) confirming the school’s influence on cognitive development. Intellectually superior students report greater satisfaction with their school environment, particularly in teacher-student and extracurricular interactions, compared to their below average peers. The findings suggest that a supportive school environment is crucial for fostering intellectual growth, and the study proposes intervention strategies to enhance educational outcomes and reduce intellectual wastage among rural pre-adolescents.