Comparative Evaluation of Teaching Practices and Institutional Support of Physical Education in three Universities in Manipur

Abstract

Quality education in physical education and sports sciences hinges on effective pedagogy, hands-on training, and robust institutional support. In the higher education landscape of North East India, however, disparities in academic delivery and infrastructure persist. This study evaluates and compares teaching quality, pedagogical practices, student engagement, and infrastructural adequacy across three universities in Manipur, Dhanamanjuri University (DMU), Manipur University (MU), and National Sports University (NSU). Employing a cross-sectional and comparative research design, the study purposively selected these universities to reflect varied academic mandates: DMU as a state university with constituent colleges, MU as a central multidisciplinary institution, and NSU as a specialized sports university. A total of 200 respondents, students, faculty, and administrative staff were selected through stratified purposive sampling. Structured questionnaires were administered to capture data across three domains: (i) Teaching Quality and Class Engagement, (ii) Practical Instruction and Audio-Visual Support, and (iii) Teaching Strategies and Institutional Infrastructure. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS with chi-square (χ²) tests to examine inter-institutional differences at a significance level of P<0.05. Results revealed significant disparities across institutions (P<0.001). DMU and NSU reported higher student satisfaction in theoretical and practical class sufficiency, instructional clarity, and engagement. NSU further stood out for its practical infrastructure and innovative teaching methods. In contrast, MU lagged in areas such as classroom interaction and demonstration techniques but performed better in conducting seminars and workshops. Internet/Wi-Fi quality remained consistently subpar across all institutions (P>0.05). These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to bridge academic and infrastructural gaps in physical education across three universities in Manipur.