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ThesisItem Restricted An exploratory study of perceived stress among students of selected State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) of Northern India(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2018) Negi, Anjali; Kanwaljit KaurThe study was conducted to explore the extent of perceived stress among undergraduate and postgraduate students of four State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) namely Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (Uttarakhand), CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar (Haryana), Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur (Rajasthan) and Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab). Stratified Random Sampling technique was used to select a sample of 540 students consisting of 360 undergraduate and 180 postgraduate students of three colleges i.e. College of Agriculture, College of Home Science and College of Agricultural Engineering of selected universities. The data were collected through distributed questionnaire technique. A stress perception scale was developed to know the extent of perceived stress among students. The findings of the study revealed that percentage of the postgraduate students was towards higher side of the stress as compared to undergraduate students. A significant difference was also observed between undergraduate and postgraduate students in regard to their extent of perceived stress. A small percentage of the students had high academic performance while a majority had medium level of academic performance. Placements problems and high expectations of the parents were major sources of perceived stress in undergraduate as well as postgraduate students. Place of accommodation, parent’s education and father’s occupation were found to be significantly associated with extent of perceived stress of both undergraduate and postgraduate students while award of scholarship, family background, family type and order of birth had significant association with extent of perceived stress in postgraduate students. A positive and significant relationship was observed between family income and extent of perceived stress. Listening to music, seeking out friends for conversation, trying to come up with different possible solutions and looking on the bright side of the things were major stress coping strategies used by students. Alcohol consumption, smoking, drug use, meditation and yoga were the least used coping strategies in both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Most of the students were using positive and healthy stress coping strategies to release stress. Students should be motivated to improve their academic performance. Postgraduate students should be counselled to minimize their stress. Awareness about different job opportunities after degree programme should be created among students. There is a need to strengthen counselling cell of the state agricultural universities. Parents should have realistic expectations from their children and they should try to understand their needs and capabilities. Higher earning families should spend quality time with their wards so that their children may not feel ignored and stressed.ThesisItem Restricted Musculoskeletal disorders among female workers engaged in papad rolling activity(PAU, 2012) Gupta, Ritu; Bakhshi, RupaPresent investigation was carried out to study work environment, postures adopted, musculoskeletal disorders and physiological stresses faced by women engaged in papad rolling activity and to design and evaluate suitable ergonomic tools/interventions for humanizing their work environment. Study was conducted in two phases: field survey and field experiments. Field survey was conducted on 200 respondents selected purposively from Ludhiana district. Data revealed that respondents spend 4-6 hours in papad rolling activity. Postural analysis using RULA (mean score 5.5) indicated that respondents were working in poor posture. Job Strain Index (mean score 30.81) indicated that job is hazard prone. Symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders as perceived by respondents indicated that majority of respondents revealed the symptoms of transient backache, wrist/elbow strains, carpal tunnel syndrome, picondylitis, tendonitis, cervical and lumbar spondylosis. Therefor e, based on results of survey conducted and suggestions made by respondents, a rolling board was designed (6 cms high) and their work nvironment was modified. These were tested on 25 subjects selected for field experiments. Results revealed that designed rolling board and improved workplace conditions reduced heart rate (5.20%), energy expenditure (13.50%), total cardiac cost of work (15.99%), physiological cost of work (14.24%), perceived exertion (136%), angle of deviation of spine (3.01%), grip fatigue (6-7%), pinch fatigue (7-9%), and back muscles fatigue (7.49%) including body discomfort and symptoms of MSDs. RULA interpretation indicated that posture of subjects improved by using designed rolling board. Work output of the subjects increased and they were more satisfied and comfortable with the intervention.ThesisItem Open Access Developing Ergonomically Designed Kitchen Aid for Reducing Physiological Stress of Women Working in Standing Type Kitchen(PAU, 2014) Charu; Sandhu, PushpinderThe present study was undertaken to study the work, worker and workplace interfacing in selected standing type of kitchens of Ludhiana city; assess physiological stress caused thereof and to evaluate ergonomically designed kitchen aid for reducing stress of working in the kitchen. The study was conducted on 200 respondents from the age group of 35-55 years, selected purposively from two zones of Ludhiana city. Self Structured Interview Schedule was prepared and pretested to assess work, worker, and workplace interface. NIOSH Discomfort Survey and Rated Perceived Exertion were used to assess the physiological stress. On the basis of anthropometric measurements of the respondents a Kitchen Aid was designed and evaluated on 20 respondents in the department laboratory. Results revealed that majority of the respondents were suffering from back pain, joint pain and acute weakness while doing kitchen activities in standing posture. They were bending, and stretching while storing. Special cooking and dough kneading were perceived as complex activities whereas Chapatti making, special cooking and dish washing as time consuming activities. Curry making and pre preparation were found to be the most liked activities but majority of them were having discomfort while doing most of the kitchen activities however the intensity of discomfort was mild to moderate and duration was less than one hour in majority of the cases. In the observation of workplace it was found that very few respondents had kitchen size below the recommendation of National Building Code. Average height of cooking, preparation centre and sink were observed to be 85.30 cm, 85.73 cm and 85.85 cm respectively which were not according to anthropometric measurement of the respondents. On the basis of survey results a Kitchen Aid was designed and evaluated in laboratory. Significant reduction was observed in heart rate, energy expenditure, and physiological cost of work while doing chapatti making and dish washing without and with using the aid. Significant difference was also observed on Rated perceived exertion, Visual Analogue Discomfort, Overall Discomfort Rating and Rapid Entire Body Assessment scale. The aid found to be effective in reducing physiological stress among the selected subjects. However, there is a need to conduct more trials on larger sample and on more activities, to recommend the AID.ThesisItem Restricted Assessing Organizational Deception in Interpersonal Communication using Information Manipulation Theory (IMT)(PAU, 2013) Mittal, Ritu; Randhawa, VarinderThe study was conducted to test the applicability of Information Manipulation Theory (IMT) in Indian context, prevalence of deception inorganizations and the reasons thereof. Survey design was used to collect information from the faculty of PAU by presenting violated stimulus material measuring four dimensions of message manipulation i.e. quantity, quality, relevance and manner to test the claims of the theory. All the violations were perceived as deceptive. Hence, the study proved that IMT theory is applicable in Indian context. Quality violation was perceived as most deceptive while quantity violation was perceived asleast deceptive form of information manipulation. Prevalence of deception was explored in respect of personal and academic purposes. For both the purposes, quantity violation (2.99) was found to be most widely prevalent followed by relevance (2.70), manner (2.49) and quality (2.48) violation.Overall deception mean (2.67) showed that faculty sometimes violates the information for varied purposes. Quality violation which was perceived as most deceptive was reportedly least prevalent while, quantity violation which was perceived as least deceptive was found to be the most prevalent form of deceptive communication. Reasons for violation were studied under three subheads i.e. personal factors, social factors and organizational factors. Among personal factors pleasing high- ups came out as prominent reason for deception followed by lack of skill, personality and home- work interface. Among social factors, maintaining social relationships emerged as foremost reason followed by unharmonious relationship, history of reciprocity, social undermining and apprehensions about misuse of information. Regarding organizational factors, unhealthy competition came out as foremost reason for deception followed by role conflict, organizational reward system, organizational climate and organization system. Among personal, social and organizational factors, organizational factors (2.79) were reported as the prominent factor followed by personal (2.76) and social factors (2.63). Hence, information manipulation is widel y prevalent even in academic community and the prominent reasons emerged to be rganizational factors. It can therefore, be inferred that organization must take measures to reduce sycophancy, minimize role conflict, streamline reward system and promote healthy work environment for improving overall organizational output and productivity.ThesisItem Open Access Occupational Health Hazards Faced By Unskilled Women Working At Construction Site(PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, 2012) Karuna Bharara; pushpinderPresent study was conducted with an objective to study work and working conditions, extent of occupational health hazards faced thereof and to develop and implement an educational intervention for ensuring same of women engaged as unskilled labourers at construction sites in Ludhiana city. Survey was conducted on randomly selected 80 such women using both objective and subjective research tools. Result revealed that their attire was hazardous as they wore synthetic sarees, unstable headgear and no shoe ware. All were engaged in unskilled work: load carriers, sorting and washing bricking or mixing concrete cement. There were no facilities for child care and refreshments at work site, no privacy to pass urine, and faced gender-biased issues too. Major risk factors perceived by them were: uneven and muddy ground, unsupported and steep ladders, and obstructed pathways, polluted air and water, noise, unhygienic and stinking surroundings. They perceived repetitive and strenuous nature of job, hazardous workplace and bad work posture also risk factors along with lack of medical facilities and safety measures. Incidences of Sun burn, sun stroke, dehydration, cough/chest infection, sore throat, skin allergies, boils, stomach ailments, contagious diseases, musculoskeletal disorders (repetitive strain injury, cramps, cervical and low back pain); and reproductive hazards (UTI, miscarriage and premature deliveries) were also high. Respondents reported skin abrasion, falls, slips, trips, crushing and pinching of body parts, burns, sprains, cuts, bleeds and swelling of body parts in recent past. Extent of occupational hazards was perceived to be very severe in the areas of work, worker and work place.ThesisItem Open Access Impact assessment of MGNREGA consistent to its operational parameters in transforming quality of life of rural poor(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2016) Balwinder Kaur; Randhawa, VarinderThe study aimed at assessing impact of MGNREGA on the quality of life of its beneficiaries belonging to all three socio-cultural regions i.e. Majha, Malwa and Doaba of Punjab state. A total of 11 districts were selected for the study (7 from Malwa, 2 from Doaba and 2 from Majha region) through probability proportionate to size sampling procedure. Two blocks per district, two villages per block and nine beneficiaries per village were further selected to complete a sample of 396 beneficiaries and 44 functionaries for the study. Interview schedule in five parts was prepared to elicit information regarding socio-personal profile, implementation procedure, awareness of beneficiaries and functionaries, wage employment, wage differential and impact of the scheme improving quality of life. The major findings revealed some irregularity in implementation of MGNREGA such as late payments to workers, lack of worksite facilities, non-maintenance of work and complaint registers and nonconductance of social audit. Workers got maximum 40-45 days of work which was much below the prescribed 100 days of employment.Overall, the beneficiaries had medium level of awareness about the provisions of right to employment (X= 0.83), gram panchayat responsibilities (X= 0.98), work procedure and wage rates (X=0.75), wage disbursement information (X=1.06). Whereas, low level of awareness was observed for indicators such as implementation procedure (X=0.50) and social audit (X=0.32). Beneficiaries were found seldom not aware of the basic guidelines regarding wage structures and other legal entitlements such as unemployment allowance, reimbursement of medical bills, basic facilities etc. On the contrary, the functionaries were found highly aware about all the provisions under the act. Major activities undertaken in MGNREGA were tree plantation, land leveling and flood protection and there was no wage differential observed in the different districts of Punjab. The impact was mainly by way of acquiring material possessions, food consumption and housing and sanitary conditions. Non-significant impact was found as far as expenditure on education, clothing and social life aspects were concerned. To make the scheme successful in improving quality of life of rural poor, it is very necessary that they should regularly participate in programme and share their difficulties and complaints regarding implementation of scheme. So, it can therefore be concluded that awareness needs to be generated amongst the beneficiaries through mass media and other campaigns for effective implementation and success of the scheme.ThesisItem Open Access A study on design modifications in workspaces and tools for female wheelchair users(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2016) Bisht, Deepika; Sidhu, Muninder KaurPresent study was carried out to identify the female wheelchair users, examine their participation and problems in household work, ergonomically evaluate work, worker and workspace interface. Modifications and evaluation of work spaces and tools was also done based on which design recommendations are given for female wheel chair users. Study was conducted in two phases: case study and laboratory experiments. Case study of 10 female wheelchair users was done using an interview schedule. Their work participation profile was observed for three consecutive days. On the basis of results of case study, two activities (peeling-chopping and knitting), two workspaces (kitchen counter and wheelchair) and two tools (peeler and knife) were selected for necessary modifications. Laboratory experiments were then conducted to modify and evaluate effectiveness of the workspaces and tools. A peeler with comfortable grip was selected, a rocking knife was fabricated, height of kitchen counter was reduced to 74 cm, a removable basket, backrest and additional cushioned seat were provided in the wheelchair. Pre-testing of the modified workspaces and tools resulted in two sets of modified working conditions (MC1 and MC2) for peeling and chopping activity. Experiments were conducted under simulated conditions on 25 normal women in the age group of 60 years and above. Results revealed that, for peeling-chopping activity, reduction in per cent increase in heart rate was found to be 2.68 while working in MC1 and 6.18 while working in MC2 over existing condition. During knitting, increase in heart rate while working in existing condition was 12.66 per cent over base and while working in modified condition the increase was found to be 11.40 per cent. Postural analysis through RULA and OWAS scores revealed that the postures adopted by subjects improved under modified conditions and were acceptable. Body discomfort was also reduced and no pain was felt by respondents while working under modified conditions. Majority of the subjects were satisfied and comfortable with the interventions.
