Abstract

Youth are the future leaders and citizens, and it is important that they are provided with a stimulating environment where they can thrive and make developmentally appropriate choices and made partners, rather than onlookers, in the developmental initiatives of the nation. Positive Youth Development (PYD) is closely related to the wellbeing of the nation, and wellness would also ensure that most of the youth are happy. Keeping in mind the present youth bulge in India and their important role in achievement of developmental goals at international level, an attempt was made to understand the level of PYD, Happiness and Wellbeing among 480 youth, selected from the government and private schools, and colleges located in rural and urban areas of Jammu Province of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory. The tools used standardized Positive Youth Development Questionnaire, Subjective Happiness Scale, Subjective Wellbeing Scale, Home Environment Questionnaire and Educational and Occupation component of SES Scale. Though youth were rated medium on the levels of PYD, Happiness, Wellbeing and Home Environment, PYD was positively related to happiness and parental variables of education and occupation, but no significant relationship was observed among PYD and Wellbeing. PYD was negatively related to age, sex, and area of residence and home environment of the youth. First born were found to be happier than youth at other ordinal positions. Rural youth were significantly happier than urban youth. Based on the findings the present paper has forwarded some recommendations for the educational institutions of the youth.