THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING ON STUDENT WELL-BEING: A CASE STUDY OF COLLEGE STUDENTS IN INDORE, MADHYA PRADESH

Abstract

Abstract: This study investigates the structural impact of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) frameworks on the psychological well-being of undergraduate college students in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Known as a major central Indian educational hub attracting thousands of outstation students for competitive exam preparation and professional degrees, Indore presents a unique socio-educational landscape characterized by high academic pressure and urban displacement anxiety. Utilizing a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, this paper assesses how localized SEL programs affect academic stress, emotional regulation, and peer social support among 600 college students across selected management, engineering, and arts colleges in Indore. The findings indicate that structured SEL interventions generate a 28.2% reduction in academic stress metrics and a 24.5% increase in emotional self-efficacy scores. The paper highlights the distinct regional stressors faced by outstation students living in local hostels or paying-guest (PG) accommodations. We propose a culturally adapted SEL model aligned with India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to build psychological capital across higher education institutions in Madhya Pradesh. Keywords: Social and Emotional Learning (SEL); Student Well-Being; Indore Higher Education; NEP 2020; Outstation Student Stress; Academic Burnout.