This paper identifies the effect of neighborhood peer groups on childhood skill acquisition using observational data. We incorporate spatial peer interaction, defined as a child’s nearest geographical neighbors, into a production function of child cognitive development in Andhra Pradesh,...

We use a panel survey of ~19,000 primary-school-aged children in rural Tamil Nadu to study 'learning loss' after COVID-19-induced school closures, and the pace of recovery after schools reopened. Students tested in December 2021 (18 months after school closures) displayed learning deficits of...

The objective of this paper is to study the dynamics of the distribution of regional per capita income of Indian states in the post reform period, in order to identify trends towards convergence-club formation, polarisation or stratification during this period. We adopt the distribution dynamics...

Education has been given high priority by India’s central and state governments and continues to grow fast. School access has been expanded by investment in school infrastructure and recruitment of teachers. In higher education too, the number of providers continues to rise rapidly. A new law...

Our paper provides a comparative perspective on the development of public primary education in four of the largest developing economies circa 1910: Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC). These four countries encompassed more than 50 percent of the world’s population in 1910, but remarkably...

The paper investigates the hypothesis of labour market segmentation in the Indian labour market along the lines of formality and informality using NSSO data over the period 2004-05 to 2011-12. The results of our analysis lend credible support in favour of the labour market segmentation...

Rationing and its implication on targeting of benefits to the poorer population is among the major concern of policy makers. Taking 66th round data of National Sample Survey (2009-10), this paper examines the implications of type 1 and type 2 rationing of work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural...

Taking 66th round data of National Sample Survey (2009-10), this paper examines the implications of type 1 and type 2 rationing of work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in West Bengal for poorer households. Using regression analysis and evidences from...

One of the most significant feature of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) has been the demand based principle, which allows for no rationing of the labourers, who seek work under the scheme. However, studies have found that rationing has been one of the significant problem of...