Reading Habits among Post Graduate students of GMD Arts, BW Commerce & Science College Sinnar District-Nashik (MS)

INTRODUCTION

The news is very important for a person to know what is happening in and around the world. It makes him informed about his surroundings. News, in the beginning, was through public announcements using the drum. Later it has developed into handwritten copies. During the freedom struggle of India, our freedom fighters have used handwritten newspapers to spread the message. Then the print media played a significant role in spreading information and sharing knowledge. Now it has gone beyond print. Electronic media has occupied the prime place (Dr. N. Ramakrishnan & Mrs. J. Johnsi Priya, 2016). Reading occupies an important role in the life of a human being. It opens the doors of the treasures of knowledge. Reading is very important to introduce the child to the world that surrounds him. It is the very good foundation on which the edifice of the child is to be built. Reading is one of the essential components of our language, communication and it is an important tool for lifelong learning for all learners. Reading is taken into account essential for all the development of every human being. However, with the invent of modern digital technologies, particularly the growing popularity of social networking on the world wide web, mobile phones, televisions, and other means of entertainment, the reading habit of the general public, especially the younger generation, is undergoing a decline (Akanda, Hoq, & Hasan, 2013).

Reading has been the eagerness of the best personalities of all times. Humans have been reading since ages and therefore words of information are passed on through generations. The reading habit influences within the promotion of one‘s personal development in particular and social progress in common. Regular and systematic reading sharpens the intellect, refines the emotions, elevates tastes and provides perspectives for one‘s living; and thereby prepares

The reading is primarily an intellectual activity and its practice is influenced by many factors like home environment, subject background, age, statues, etc. Reading helps in the resolution of personal need and in the attainments of mental maturity and independence of thoughts. Psychologically, habit is a product of learning, however reading is an art of interpreting the printed tools and written words (Sharma & Singh, 2005). Reading is very important for college students in general order to deal with new knowledge during an ever-changing world-that of the technological age. The ability to read is at the centre of self-cultivation and lifelong learning. Reading could be an important issue that isn‘t solely regarding enjoyment however a necessity; the essential tool of education. Reading makes an approach for a much better understanding of one‘s own experiences associated it will be an exciting voyage to self-discovery. It is the art of interpreting written and printed words, the most effective process of conscious learning which influences the extent and accuracy of information, as well as the attitudes, morals, beliefs, judgment and action of readers (Chettri & Rout, 2013). Reading particularly could be a resource for continued education, for the acquisition of new knowledge and skills, for gaining information through media, especially newspapers, books, radio, television, and computers. Reading habit is an intellectual activity for giving additional information, knowledge and learn to various types of things and their activities. Reading Habits means behavior which expresses the lightness of reading of individual, which occur regularly of leisure reading approach, type of reading tastes & use of library services (Babu & Durgaiah, 2016). Reading is an activity where peoples are engaged mostly throughout their lifetime. It is an interactive activity as readers not only get to share the thought of the author but also able to interpret the thoughts of the author. Reading is the thought of a writer communicated to others through written or printed words (Pushpalata, 2017). The benefits and advantages of good reading habits describe by Florence and others, it increases students‘ reading skills, widens experience and knowledge, and develop reading speed, fluency, vocabulary, general knowledge and academic achievement (Florence, Adesola, Alaba, & Adewumi, 2017).

In today‘s ICT era, users away from reading habits (interest). They are attracted to using new changes in new technology, users demand also changed. The need of users also changes like required any information very quick and up-to-date. They can‘t read the bulk of information and whole books or other reading material, because they want selective information.

The present study is limited to Post Graduate students of GMD Arts, BW Commerce & Science College, Sinnar (Nashik) in the academic year 2017-18 on the subject of the reading habits.

i. To find out the time spend for reading by P.G. students ii. To find out the use of mobile phones by P.G. students iii. To know the use of reading material by P.G. students in various formats iv. To identify sources of reading materials v. To know the internet and social networking tools have impact on reading habits.

The researcher has used a survey method to study the research problem. The study of the research problem is limited to Post Graduate students of GMD Arts, BW Commerce & Science College Sinnar. In this college, P.G. courses run by various faculties like Arts (Marathi, English, Economics, Political Science, and Defense), Commerce, and Science (Physics, Chemistry, and Geography). In the academic year 2017-18, 417 P.G. students had taken admission for various courses. Out of 417 students, 224 has selected for research purpose by using random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire is prepared and distributed to 224 P.G. students to collecting the primary data. After receiving the filled questionnaire by respondents, it was sent for analysis.

The above figure shows that all the PG students are visited the library for various purposes like issuing books, reading newspapers/magazines, accessing e-resources, browsing reference books etc.

Figure 2 indicates that the majority of i.e. 116 (52%) P.G. students are a weekly visitor of the college library, followed by 58 (26%) students are a daily visitor of the library, remaining 50 (22%) students visit the library once in a month.

Figure 3 clearly indicates that the majority of i.e. 121 (41%) students visited to the library for studying in the reading room, while 72 (25%) students visited to the library for reading newspapers/magazines. 48 (16%) students visited to the library for referencing purpose, 42 (14%) students visited to the library for book borrowing purpose, remaining 09 (03%)

The user of today‘s ICT/digital era has attracted to accessing e-resources but they have regularly used the printed material as well. Above figure clearly indicates that only one (0.45%) P.G. student spend more than ten hours in a day for reading, followed by 20 (8.93%) students spend six to ten hours in a day for reading. 66 (29.46%) students spend one to five hours in a day for reading, a majority of i.e. 125 (55.80%) students spend only one hour for reading in a day, remaining 12 (5.36%) students did not count everyday time of reading.

Figure 5 indicates that the majority of i.e. 175 (74%) P.G. students preferably used printed reading materials, while 41 (17%) students read online books/journals for referencing and research purpose, remaining 21 (09%) students read digital information resources like CDs/DVDs, databases etc.

The above figure shows that the majority of P.G. students i.e. 160 (42%) have read subject books, followed by 74 (20%) students have preferred to read the motivational book. 50 (13%) students have read newspapers, 29 (08%) students read storybooks, 22 (06%) students read novels, 14 (04%) students read biographical books, 11 (03%) students read magazines/journals and remaining 09 (02%) students read poems as well as travel guidebooks.

The above figure clearly indicates that only one (01%) P.G. student have read more than ten books in a month, followed by 15 (07%) students read six to ten books in a month, 42 (19%) students‘ reads three to five books in a month. The majority of P.G. students i.e. 111 (49%) have read one to two books in a month and remaining 55 (24%) students read only one book in a month. Students reading interest is decreased due to the invention of ICT, Internet and Android phones.

Reading habits are more important for every human being to understand new things, pleasure, self-improvement and updating in everyday life. Majority of P.G. students i.e. 161 (58%) have stated that the reading habit is more important for updating knowledge, followed by 59 (21%) students stated that the reading habit is important for personality development. 29 (10%) students stated that reading habit gives more pleasure in life, 27 (10%) students stated that reading habit improves confidence, and remaining 01 (01%) student stated that reading gives entertaining enjoyment.

When asking question about the using mobile phone, the majority of i.e. 182 (81%) P.G. students stated that they used Android mobiles, while 42 (19%) students not used Android mobile phones.

Figure 10 clearly indicates that majority of i.e. 155 (69%) P.G. students used internet/social

In today‘s ICT era, Internet/social media has more impacted on reading habit. Out 224 P.G. students 166 (74%) have stated that internet/social networking tools are more impacted on reading habits, while 58 (26%) students stated that internet/social networking tools do not make any effect on reading habit.

The above figure shows that the use of mobile internet for searching of study materials like e-books and e-journals and a majority of i.e. 178 (79%) P.G. students have searched e-books/e-journals on mobile internet, while 46 (21%) students did not use mobile internet for searching study material.

► All the P.G. students visit the library for various purposes and the majority of them are weekly visitors of the library. ► Majority of the P.G. students visiting the library for studying in the reading room, and remaining students visited for reading newspapers/magazines, referencing purpose, borrowing a book and very few of them are visited for accessing e-resources. ► In today‘s ICT/digital era, students are attracted to accessing e-resources, but they P.G. student has spent more than ten hours in a day for reading and the majority of them have spent only one hour for reading in a day. ► Majority of i.e. 175 (74%) P.G. students preferably used printed material and very few of them have reads e-books/e-journals and digital information resources like CDs/DVDs, databases etc. ► Preferences of reading material clearly show that majority of P.G. students read subject books, followed by a motivational book, newspapers, storybooks, novels, biographical books, magazines/journals, and poems as well as travel guidebooks. ► Various books and other reading materials read by the P.G. students in a month, and it is clearly shown that only one student has read more than ten books in a month and a majority of them have read one to two books in a month. It is also clear that reading interest among P.G. students is decreased due to the impact of ICT, Internet and Android mobile phones. Reading habits are more important for every human being to understand new things, pleasure, self-improvement and updating in everyday life. Majority of P.G. students stated that the reading habit is more important for updating knowledge, followed by personality development, it gives pleasure, improves confidence, and it is entertaining enjoyment. ► Majority of P.G. students used Android mobile phones and they also used the internet and social networking tools on a mobile phone. Majority of P.G. students experienced that the internet and social networking tools are more impacted on reading habits. ► Today, every user want quick and updated information in a short time period. It is only possible by using modern ICT tools. Majority of P.G. students have daily searched e-books and e-journals on the mobile internet.

The library professionals should inculcate the reading habits among the students and encourage them to read something apart from their textbook reading. The library is a storehouse of knowledge and the librarians are responsible to motivate the students to use the library sources. Now a day‘s

developing reading habits. Reading habits are very essential and very important discipline to improve the knowledge and current awareness of the students‘. Hence they must observe the simplest ways of reading habits so as to find and explore new ideas and grow their basic information. It helps them to improve their personal development and go further in their academics performance.

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Librarian, M.V.P. Samaj‘s, GMD Arts, BW Commerce and Science College Sinnar, Dist. Nashik- 422 103 Maharashtra, India subhashahire11@gmail.com