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Experimental results from a four-year targeted education voucher program in the slums of Delhi, India

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  • Dixon, Pauline
  • Egalite, Anna J.
  • Humble, Steve
  • Wolf, Patrick J.

Abstract

We present experimental evidence from a school choice program carried out in a 20-square kilometer, highly urbanized slum area known as Shahdara, which is situated in East Delhi, India. The lottery-based allocation of vouchers allows us to structure an impact evaluation as a randomized controlled trial. We conduct an Intent-to-Treat (ITT) analysis of the impact of the offer of a voucher as well as a Treatment-on-Treated (TOT) analysis of the impact of using a voucher, employing the lottery results as an instrumental variable. Four years after random assignment, we find large positive impacts of voucher use on student test scores in English (0.31σ, p < .05). We find suggestive negative impacts of voucher use on test scores in the native language of Hindi (−0.20σ, p < .10), but this impact is not significant at the standard 95% confidence level. We find no voucher impact on student test scores in mathematics.

Suggested Citation

  • Dixon, Pauline & Egalite, Anna J. & Humble, Steve & Wolf, Patrick J., 2019. "Experimental results from a four-year targeted education voucher program in the slums of Delhi, India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 1-1.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:124:y:2019:i:c:17
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.104644
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Joshua Angrist & Eric Bettinger & Erik Bloom & Elizabeth King & Michael Kremer, 2002. "Vouchers for Private Schooling in Colombia: Evidence from a Randomized Natural Experiment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(5), pages 1535-1558, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Athira Vinod, 2024. "Direct and indirect effects of the Right to Education Act on the enrolment of disadvantaged groups in India," Discussion Papers 2024-01, University of Nottingham, CREDIT.
    2. John Mark R. Asio & Christopher DC. Francisco & Rosalinda C. Rodriguez, 2020. "Administrative and Instructional Issues in the Implementation of Voucher Program Among Selected Private Senior High Schools," International Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Dr. Mohammad Hamad Al-khresheh, vol. 6(5), pages 202-210.

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    Keywords

    Asia; India; Vouchers; Choice; Policy; RCT;
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