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Child Control in Education Decisions: An Evaluation of Targeted Incentives to Learn in India

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  • James Berry

Abstract

I report the results of a field experiment in Gurgaon, India that offered cash and noncash incentives to learn either to children or to their parents. While I find no evidence that the identity of the recipient or form of the reward mattered in the aggregate, noncash incentives targeted to children were more effective for initially low-performing children while cash incentives were more effective for high-performing children. To explore the mechanisms behind this result, I present a model of household education production and find additional empirical results consistent with the model.

Suggested Citation

  • James Berry, 2015. "Child Control in Education Decisions: An Evaluation of Targeted Incentives to Learn in India," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 50(4), pages 1051-1080.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:50:y:2015:i:4:p:1051-1080
    Note: DOI: 10.3368/jhr.50.4.1051
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