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Female labor force participation and child education in India: The Effect of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme

Author

Listed:
  • Farzana Afridi

    (Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi)

  • Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay

    (Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi)

  • Soham Sahoo

    (Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi)

Abstract

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) of India mandates 1/3rd of beneficiaries to be women and equal wages across gender. We study its impact on children's educational attainment via women's increased access to labor market opportunities. Using child level panel data, and taking advantage of the temporal, subdistrict level variation in the intensity of implementation of the NREGS, we find that a rise in mother's share in parental NREGS workdays increases school attendance and grade attainment of her children, particularly girls. This impact is over and above any income effect induced by the scheme.

Suggested Citation

  • Farzana Afridi & Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay & Soham Sahoo, 2013. "Female labor force participation and child education in India: The Effect of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme," Discussion Papers 13-03, Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi.
    • Handle: RePEc:alo:isipdp:13-03
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    File URL: http://www.isid.ac.in/~pu/dispapers/dp13-03.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    labor; education; gender; bargaining;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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