Abstract:
Reading is a habit that completes man as education is the basis of social progress.
It is an essential one among university graduates. The reading habits of man living
in a mechanized world have suffered a setback due to increased workloads. In
this too, graduates face various obstacles in developing reading habits and gaining
continuous reading. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of assessing
the level of reading among the university graduates and identifying the factors
that hinder the reading habits and this exploration carried out based on 2016/17
academic year graduates of Faculty of Islamic Studies & Arabic Language, South
Eastern University of Sri Lanka. This study uses descriptive methodology
through mixed approach. Questionnaire and interview were used to obtain the
primary data for this study. Also used as secondary data were research articles,
texts, web articles, and journals related to the topic. The Questionnaire was given
through a Google Form among randomly selected 2016/17 graduates of Faculty
of Islamic Studies & Arabic Language, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka. In
addition, data were obtained from ten selected interviews. At the end of the study,
the study found that undergraduates’ reading habits were declining among
graduates, and that the main factors that prevented them from continuing their
reading habits were home works, increased workload, social media, certain
economic problems, peer harassment, and lack of time to read. And the suitable
recommendations were given in last for reduce the obstacles.
