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Back Ground: Regular physical activity, in addition to reducing stress level, has beneficial effect on body
as well as mind. This beneficial effect on mind is assessed in terms of academic performance especially in
medical college students. Retrospective analysis was carried out using students’ bio-data (n=279) and
their University exam results to see the effect of physical activity of students on their academic
performance. Their physical activities were grouped under exercise, contact sports activities, non-contact
sports activities, non-sports activities and sedentary group. Statistical analysis revealed positive
correlation between physical activity and academic performance. Success rate is high (64.2%) in
physically active group and failure rate is high (76.9%) in sedentary group of students. Within the
physically active group, contact sports (P= 0.0002) and non-sports activity group (P= 0.0003) showed
higher academic performance. Statistically significant correlation was not found between exercise group
and academic performance (P= 0.0724) as well between non-contact sports group and academic
performance (P= 0.1302). Thus the study concludes that physical activity is beneficial to students in their
academic performance.
Key words: Physical activity, academic performance, college students, sedentary life.