PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS, HEALTH AND EDUCATIONAL AMONG RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN TOSEKGRE, WEST GARO HILLS, MEGHALAYA

Socio-economic status, health, and education are key determinants of rural development and overall quality of life. Understanding these indicators is essential for identifying the strengths and challenges faced by rural communities, particularly in tribal regions of Meghalaya, Northeast India. This study presents the preliminary findings on the socio-economic status, health, and educational conditions of rural households in Tosekgre village, West Garo Hills, Meghalaya. A quantitative descriptive research design was employed, and data were collected from 72 households using cross sectional survey and a self- structured interview schedule through household surveys. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were used to analyze the data, while selected associations between variables were examined using chi-square analysis. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents were cultivators, owned agricultural land and their own houses, and had access to banking services and government health facilities. Although most households reported access to nearby health centres and government health schemes, participation in health camps and levels of health awareness remained moderate. Educational attainment was predominantly at the primary and secondary levels, with school dropout reported in a proportion of households, largely due to financial constraints. Inferential analysis indicated a statistically significant association between health camp attendance and health awareness, suggesting that community-based health interventions contribute positively to improving health knowledge.