Karnatak University

People desire friends who have qualities such as similarity, the ability to provide support, opportunities for socialisation, assistance in achieving self-serving goals and access to potential mates. In the current study, we aimed to examine the degree of overlap between the friends people consider ideal and those they actually have. Using a sample of 6224 participants from 12 countries, we found that, across five dimensions of friendship, ideal and actual friendships considerably overlapped and ideal preferences were significant and strong predictors of actual friendships. Still, the overlap between ideal and actual friendships was not complete; rather, a small deficit emerged, with participants getting less of what they wanted. These results were consistent across the 12 countries in our sample. We also found significant effects of the Dark Triad personality traits on several dimensions of friendship.

The study intends to evaluate the ICT skills among the law students of the Karnataka State Law University-affiliated colleges. The study investigated law students’ ability and proficiency in making use of digital devices and software, Responses of law students on improvements in academic learning with the use of ICT. The study highlights the awareness of search strategies and the level of ICT skills of Law students, most importantly study focused on the impact of ICT skills on the utilization of online resources, adequacy in the utilization of ICT tools and ICT-based library services, and problems affecting the accessing and using electronic information resources by the law students. The study thus recommended that law colleges should receive adequate funding to promote the acquisition of suitable ICT resources for effective use by law students in their educational pursuits. This will enhance the student’s proficiency in utilizing these facilities and, in turn, equip them with the necessary skills to operate them. The study concludes that law students still have to make maximum utilization of electronic information resources for their academic excellence in the legal profession.

The banking sector serves as the fundamental infrastructure of the Indian economy, where the financial health of Public Sector Banks acts as a primary determinant of national economic stability. This study empirically evaluates the impact of default risk on the financial performance of selected Public Sector Banks, specifically examining how Gross Non-Performing Assets and Capital Adequacy Ratio influence Return on Assets. By analyzing aggregate data from six major Public Sector Banks (State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Bank of Maharashtra and Punjab National Bank), the research utilizes a Panel Least Squares regression model to test the relationship between the dependent variable (Return on Asset) and key indicators including Gross Non-Performing Assets, Capital Adequacy Ratio, Provision Coverage Ratio and Net Interest Margin. The empirical results reveal a statistically significant negative impact of GNPA on bank profitability, confirming that default risk remains a critical detractor of earnings. Conversely, the Capital Adequacy Ratio demonstrates a significant positive relationship with Return on Asset, suggesting that robust capital buffers are essential for enhancing profit-generating capacity. With an Adjusted R-squared of 0.74, the model confirms that credit risk variables are strong predictors of overall performance. The study concludes that maintaining asset quality is more vital for long-term profitability than traditional interest margin expansion.

ABSTRACT The Hakki-Pikki are a semi-nomadic tribal community primarily concentrated in Shivamogga, Davanagere, and Mysuru districts of Karnataka, historically known for bird-catching, hunting, and forest-based subsistence. This study examines the contemporary socio-economic conditions, cultural practices, and livelihood transformations of the Hakki-Pikki community in Shivamogga and Davanagere districts. Using mixed methods including household surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and secondary data analysis, the research documents persistent marginalization characterized by poverty, low educational attainment, inadequate housing, and health challenges. The study reveals that legal restrictions under the Wildlife Protection Act and forest conservation policies have fundamentally disrupted traditional livelihoods while alternative economic opportunities remain limited. Despite these challenges, the community retains substantial ethnobotanical knowledge and has begun adapting through small-scale entrepreneurship, particularly in herbal product sales. The Vaagri language faces endangerment as younger generations increasingly adopt Kannada. Findings suggest that sustainable development interventions must prioritize community-led livelihood diversification, formal recognition of indigenous knowledge systems, language preservation initiatives, and participatory policy frameworks that respect cultural identity while addressing economic vulnerabilities. Keywords: Hakki-Pikki, Vaagri, Shivamogga, Davanagere, tribal livelihoods, ethnobotany, socio-economic status, indigenous knowledge, livelihood transformation

Abstract Recently, a variety of global AI attitude measures have been published providing insights into global positive and/or negative AI attitudes. The investigation of individual differences in AI attitudes represents a timely research endeavor, because AI attitudes might influence how much societies embrace the upcoming AI technology with its many facets. The present study is to our knowledge the first one showing how the following set of global AI attitude measures (six measures) are correlated with each other. In detail the GAAIS, the ATAI, the ATTARI-12, a (two) single item framework, the AIPA and the AIAS were administered and validated against varying levels of experience with AI and trust in ChatGPT. In N = 225 participants from India we observed that existing global AI attitude measures are associated with each other to different extent, and they also correlate meaningfully with the variables of experience with AI and trusting ChatGPT. Further, in the supplement associations with the Big Five of Personality are reported. The results of this study might be helpful to compare and translate findings from global AI attitude papers relying on different measures in the field. This is necessary, because the different measures administered might provide insights into global AI attitudes only to different degrees (given different content of items, item numbers and different psychometrics). This said, given the small sample size, sampling and some psychometric issues the present findings should be seen as very preliminary.