Researchers Publication

We investigated how adolescents' time allocation across daily activities influences their body mass index and well-being by paying explicit attention to gender and activities relevant to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We hypothesized that the inequitable domestic burden shouldered by girls adversely affects their health and well-being. Using data from three waves of the Young...   Read More

The global banking system has faced mounting disruptions in recent years, from the 2008 financial crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, another force is threatening to reshape the financial landscape: the rise of reciprocal tariffs and protectionist trade policies. The idea of reciprocal tariffs appears straightforward: if a country imposes tariffs on U.S. goods, the...   Read More

Fully a third of India’s very considerable public debt is debt of the states, a large fraction by the standards of other federal economies. State debts vary from less than 20 percent of state GDP in Odisha, Maharashtra and Gujarat to nearly 50 percent in Punjab. The recent evolution of these variables points to continued...   Read More

Boosting female labour force participation is not just a matter of gender equality but is also an economic imperative. India’s quest for high economic growth and social equity hinges on an obvious but underrated lever — its women’s workforce. Despite significant progress in education and health care, the country lags in enabling women’s economic participation....   Read More

Perhaps US efforts to cut off China’s access to advanced semiconductors will be more successful than analogous restrictions on tech exports to France in the 1960s. But we now have at least one data point – DeepSeek – that suggests otherwise. BERKELEY – Starting in October 2022, the late, lamented (by some) administration of President Joe...   Read More

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After maintaining the status quo for nearly two years, the RBI has lowered the policy repo rate by 25 basis points, lowering it from 6.5 percent to 6.25 percent. The cut-first in five years- is justified, whether one looks at India’s own record over the last few years or its record relative to the rest...   Read More

Unlike in most economies, employment doesn't translate into protection from intimate partner violence for women in India. Perversely, they suffer a higher risk especially if they earn more. The immense potential of India’s large population, particularly women, remains largely underutilised in its rapidly growing economy. Female labour force participation remains nearly 20 percentage points lower...   Read More

Will machines that think also forget?  Artificial intelligence is now irreversibly out of Pandora’s box, as Martin Wolf of the Financial Times observed, and we must learn to live with machines that can think. The real concern, however, is not just the intelligence of these machines but what they might choose to forget. For centuries,...   Read More

Waste management is the responsibility of municipal bodies in urban India. But these local bodies have inadequate waste-disposal facilities and poor resources. The excess dumping of waste at the Dhapa ground has been a cause of concern for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. The civic body is looking for an alternative dumping ground as Dhapa is...   Read More

Fifty years ago, in 1974, the landmark ‘Towards Equality’ report for the first time critically analysed the status of women in India. The report laid out the systemic barriers that confined Indian women to the margins of education, employment and politics. As we mark its golden jubilee, it is imperative to examine the progress made,...   Read More

The survey findings reveal that there are more than 20.27 lakh MSMEs contributing significantly to the economy of Assam. From bustling bazaars to manufacturing hubs, these enterprises are not just businesses; they are the heartbeat of local economies, providing livelihoods and fostering growth. The survey unveils the diverse tapestry of Assam’s MSMEs, with nearly half...   Read More