Background: College students today face escalating psychological and emotional challenges stemming from academic pressure, social transitions, and future uncertainties. Emotional resilience-the ability to adapt and recover from adversity-plays a vital role in managing these stressors.

Objective: This study aimed to assess emotional resilience among college-going students across different age groups to identify trends and potential age-related differences.

Methodology: A descriptive research design was employed, involving 184 full-time students from Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow. Emotional resilience was measured using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25). Data were analysed using SPSS v20, with frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and one-way ANOVA applied for statistical interpretation.

Result: The mean emotional resilience scores showed a progressive increase across age groups—2.36 ± 0.623 (17–20 years), 2.51 ± 0.550 (21–24), 2.58 ± 0.501 (25–28), and 2.62 ± 0.507 (29–33). However, ANOVA results (F = 1.550, p = 0.203) indicated that these differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusion: While emotional resilience appears to increase with age, the findings were not statistically significant. The study suggests a developmental trend but highlights the need for larger, more balanced samples and longitudinal research. Tailored interventions to enhance emotional resilience in younger students are recommended.