THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FORMS OF BULLYING AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE REGION OF PRISHTINA, KOSOVO

This study investigates the relationship between various forms of bullying and school success among high school students in the Municipality of Prishtina, Kosovo. A total of 204 respondents from six different high schools participated in this research. The study focused on four primary forms of bullying: physical, verbal, social (emotional), racist, sexual, and cyberbullying, and how these experiences influence students’ academic performance, including grade point average (GPA), and attendance. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional research design, data were collected through a structured, selfadministered questionnaire. The results revealed that verbal and social bullying were the most commonly reported forms, and these were significantly associated with lower academic achievement and reduced school engagement. Students exposed to frequent bullying, particularly social and cyber forms, showed a notable decline in motivation, classroom participation, and attendance. The findings emphasize the negative impact of bullying on academic outcomes and highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions in schools. The study concludes that addressing bullying in all its forms is essential for improving students' academic success and creating a safer, more supportive school environment in Prishtina.

Alberina HAMITI - MsC., Faculty of Philosophy University of Tetovo, Northern Macedonia alberina.hamiti@gmail.com

I21, I28, I31, Z18

SMART CITY INITIATIVES AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN INDIA: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

In developing countries, cities are vying with each other to improve their infrastructure to attract business activities and become more efficient, effective, and sustainable. Against this backdrop, the 'Smart City Mission' is one of the flagship Indian government initiatives started in 2015. In order to provide people with a high-quality living, smart cities are the latest urban conceptions. It is the idea of combining different technologies to create sustainable and intelligent practices. However, the quantitative assessment of this initiative on urbanization in India is very limited. In this study, we assess the impact of smart city projects on urbanization, which is measured by city population size and city gross domestic product. The results show that the mission has a mixed effect on urbanization. Though it increases the size of the city's population, it does not promote city income. Therefore, implementing a smart city mission has to be done in the hinterland area along with the core area of a city. Finally, it discusses the challenges faced and their potential solutions. The results suggest several policies for making urbanization a success and making India a developed country.

Arshima KHAN - Symbiosis School of Economics, SB Road, Pune – 411004, Email: arshima.khan.2022@sse.ac.in

Sabyasachi TRIPATHI - Associate Professor, Symbiosis School of Economics, SB Road, Pune – 411004, Email: sabyasachi.tripathi@sse.ac.in

Jyoti CHANDIRAMANI - Professor and Director, Symbiosis School of Economics, SB Road, Pune – 411004, Email: jyoti.chandiramani@sse.ac.in

C10, I31, R11