Researchers Publication

Bihar's economy has grown faster than the national economy, but it remains India's poorest state in terms of per-capita income. It faces challenges such as low urbanization, gender disparities, and low enrollment in higher education. Improving these areas is crucial for Bihar's prosperity and India's development goals. During the past two decades, Bihar's economy has...   Read More

Is attaining gender parity in STEM education sufficient? In the recent budget speech, the finance minister proudly declared that India now stands among the leading nations worldwide in terms of women’s enrolment in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. This significant milestone is a clear testament to the concerted efforts of the Government of...   Read More

Instead of debating the cause of the fall and the rise in the proportion of women farmers and family helpers, we should look to expand women’s opportunities outside of agriculture, which are better paying. Arguably, the debate around trends in Indian women’s employment is only outclassed by a similar one regarding trends in poverty. Unfortunately,...   Read More

Janani Suraksha Yojana, launched in 2005, has helped reduce maternal and neonatal mortality by promoting institutional delivery. But the utilisation of antenatal care has been low. Creating government programmes to incentivise desired behaviour has a long history in development planning. Unfortunately we have no guidance on when success can be celebrated and the programmes be...   Read More

In the Review, we summarise the economic and policy developments in India; monitor global developments of relevance to India; and showcase the pulse of the economy through an analysis of high-frequency indicators and the heat map. MRE February 2024 Report Click here for previous issues

The IHDS Forum is a monthly update of socio-economic developments in India by the IHDS research community, based on the India Human Development Survey, jointly conducted by NCAER and the University of Maryland. While two earlier rounds of the survey were completed in 2004-05 and 2011-12, respectively, the third round has also been launched and...   Read More

Enhanced financial inclusion and financial literacy are crucial in empowering individuals to navigate financial systems, access credit, and leverage digital platforms effectively. Financial inclusion in India has traditionally been equated with the expansion of banking networks and the proliferation of bank accounts among the underserved. However, complete and effective financial inclusion encompasses far more layers...   Read More

To become a Lakhpati Didi, a critical skill is digital financial literacy — financial knowledge and the ability to take effective decisions On our way to Kolhapur, we stop at a tea stall-cum-convenience store run by Savita tai (name changed), who greets us with a smile. While sipping tea, we overhear her discussing the delivery...   Read More

India aims to reduce agriculture's 'self-exploitation' through non-farm jobs. This requires addressing problems with job laws, promoting direct benefit transfer, improving infrastructure and human capital, and reforming social security and labor codes. In 1918, B R Ambedkar wrote, 'If we succeed in sponging off our labour in non- agricultural channels of production... they will cease...   Read More

Despite recent expansion in its population covered by public-funded insurance, a large section of India’s population remains at major financial risk from health shocks. This segment of population, sometimes referred to as the “missing middle,” typically consists of population groups that are, or have been, engaged in informal sector work, and are not poor enough...   Read More

The Federal Reserve’s actions alone don’t explain the rise and fall of inflation but they were far from irrelevant. For precisely three years now, the economics profession has been collectively fixated on inflation. February 2021, 36 months ago, was the last time consumer-price-index inflation in the United States (all items, 12-month percentage change) was at...   Read More

While opening of bank accounts has increased over the years, the wide gender gap in availing credit needs a policy response. The following facts have emerged from the spread of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, introduced in August 2014. It has led to greater financial inclusion in the case of males and females, with...   Read More