What Explains the Gender Gap in Private School Enrolment? Recent Evidence from India

67 Pages Posted: 15 Oct 2015

See all articles by Pushkar Maitra

Pushkar Maitra

Monash University - Department of Economics

Sarmistha Pal

University of Surrey; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Anurag Sharma

Monash University - Centre for Health Economics

Date Written: October 31, 2014

Abstract

The paper provides new evidence that there is significant gender gap in private school enrollment in India and that the gender gap is greater than the national average among children residing in northern and north-western states. Our best estimates come from the household fixed effects model with selection that exploits the within household variation in private school enrollment among 7-18 year old boys and girls born to the same parents, after correcting for the possible selection bias arising from any school enrollment. A further investigation into the causes of gender gap in private school enrollment does not identify any significant positive effect of perceived ability of children, but possible negative effect of child health. Further, mother’s education is an important household characteristic that significantly boosts private school attendance among girls. We also identify interesting variation of our central results across primary and secondary age groups and also across regions and argue that these results highlight a rational choice of parents aiming to maximise future earnings prospects.

Keywords: Private school enrolment, Gender gap, Household fixed effects model, Fixed effects estimates with selection correction, India

JEL Classification: C21, I25, O10

Suggested Citation

Maitra, Pushkar and Pal, Sarmistha and Sharma, Anurag, What Explains the Gender Gap in Private School Enrolment? Recent Evidence from India (October 31, 2014). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2673817 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2673817

Pushkar Maitra

Monash University - Department of Economics ( email )

Wellington Road
Clayton, Victoria 3
Australia
61 3 9905 5832 (Phone)
61 3 9905 5476 (Fax)

Sarmistha Pal (Contact Author)

University of Surrey ( email )

Stag Hill
Guildford, England GU2 7XH
United Kingdom
01483 683995 (Phone)

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Anurag Sharma

Monash University - Centre for Health Economics ( email )

Building 75
Clayton
Melbourne, VIC 3800
Australia
61 3 99050519 (Phone)

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