Emotional Intelligence and Socio-Economic Stability: A Study of Landless Agricultural Laborers in Ahmednagar District

This study examines the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and socio-economic stability among landless agricultural laborers in Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra, India. Landless agricultural laborers constitute one of the most economically vulnerable segments of India's rural population, facing seasonal unemployment, wage instability, social marginalization, and limited access to welfare entitlements. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines structured interviews, standardized EI assessment tools, and ethnographic observations, this research investigates how dimensions of emotional intelligence — self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, motivation, and social skills — correlate with economic coping strategies, household stability, and community integration. A sample of 250 landless laborers from six villages across Ahmednagar District was selected using stratified random sampling. The findings indicate that higher levels of emotional intelligence are significantly associated with greater socio-economic resilience, improved access to government welfare schemes, better interpersonal relationships with employers, and reduced susceptibility to exploitative labor practices. The study concludes with policy recommendations for integrating emotional intelligence training into rural livelihood programs.