A Study of Internet Addiction among Students of the Four-Year ITEP and B.El. Ed. Programs
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22159/ijoe.2026v14i2.58738Keywords:
internet addiction, ITEP, B.El.Ed., StudentsAbstract
The present study compared the levels of internet addiction among students pursuing the Integrated Teacher Education
Programme (ITEP) and Bachelor of Elementary Education (B.El.Ed.) courses. The objective of this study was to determine
whether there were significant differences in the tendency toward excessive internet use among students pursuing both
teacher training courses. A descriptive survey method was used in this study. The study population included students from
colleges and universities in Jhansi city offering ITEP and B.El.Ed. courses. A total of 100 students were selected as a sample
using a simple random sampling method: 50 were pursuing B.El.Ed. and 50 were pursuing ITEP. Data on the research variable
“Internet Addiction” were collected using a standardized test developed by Gulati, Kurisunkal, and Bakliwal. Mean, standard
deviation, and t-test were used for statistical analysis of the data. Based on the research findings, there was no statistically
significant difference in the level of internet addiction among students in ITEP and B.El.Ed. courses. The trend in internet use
was found to be almost identical across students in both groups. Possible reasons for this could be the fact that both courses
are conducted in urban environments, equal availability of internet, and the increasing reliance on the internet for academic
and personal needs. This study could be useful in teacher training programs to help teachers understand students’ digital
behavior and provide guidance on balanced internet use.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Mahendra Kumar, Amrata Verma
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