Abstract

                                Technology upgradation will not only extend the mental limits of its users but also paves the way for the integrated development of the Nation. There is an urgent need to inculcate youth population of the nation with adequate professional knowledge and employable skills, for which the ‘may influence’ variables on knowledge gain of the rural youth have been selected from a wide review of the literature. This study was conducted to find out the relationship of selected variables towards the knowledge gain of the rural youth using smartphones for the study in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu during 2018 and the district was selected purposively but; the respondents were selected through random sampling procedures. Statistical tools used for analyzing the data were simple correlation coefficient, multiple linear regression and step down regression analysis. The study identifies that independent variables namely, gender, occupational status, farm size and information seeking behavior had contributed towards the knowledge gain of the rural youth respondents. And also, backward regression approach points out that the information seeking behavior, gender, educational status, farm size, occupational status, decision-making ability, extension agency contact and training undergone are the major contributing variables towards the knowledge gain of the rural youth respondents. It shall be concluded that by involving the above-identified variables in the knowledge inculcation study among the youth population will fetch good results

Key words : Relationship, knowledge gain, mobile app, rural youth, Kanyakumari and step down regression analysis.