A Document Analysis on Academic Achievement among the Secondary School Students of Tiruchirappalli District with Respect to Select Variables

Abstract

This study analyzed the academic achievement of secondary school students in the Tiruchirappalli District using a document analysis research design based on secondary data. The study utilized the official Tabulated Mark Sheet published by the Directorate of Government Examinations, Government of Tamil Nadu, for the March 2024 X Standard Public Examination. From a population of 39,649 students, a random sample of 1,853 was selected. Academic achievement was examined with respect to institutional variables, namely, the type of school management and type of school. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Independent Samples t-test, and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The findings revealed that the students had an overall mean academic achievement score of 358.50 (SD = 77.91). Significant differences were observed in academic achievement with respect to the type of school management, F(2, 1850) = 187.008, p < .001, η² = .087, and type of school, F(2, 1850) = 37.071, p < .001, η² = .039. Pairwise comparisons further indicated significant differences among students from Government, Government Aided, and Unaided Private schools. The findings suggest that institutional characteristics are associated with variations in students’ academic achievement. This study highlights the importance of strengthening instructional quality, educational resources, academic support, and equitable educational opportunities across different school categories. Future research may extend the investigation to multiple districts and incorporate additional learner-related, family, instructional, and institutional variables using longitudinal and mixed-method research designs.