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Testing the Children Quantity-Quality Trade-Off in India

Author

Listed:
  • Kumar, Santosh
  • Kugler, Adriana
Abstract
Using data from a representative sample from India, we test the empirical validity of Quantity-Quality tarde-off model of Becker and Lewis (1973). To address the endogeneity arising from the joint determination of quantity and quality of children by parents, we instrument the family size by sex of the first child. We find a negative relationship between family size and children's educational attainment, even after controlling for parent's characteristics and birth order of children. The effects are heterogeneous. The trade-o is more pronounced in rural areas, for low-caste children, for illiterate mothers, and for children belonging to low wealth category. Overall, the findings support the quantity-quality trade-o in a resource poor setting such as India. Given that for long-run economic development, the quality of human capital is equally important, policymakers should invest more in education and other welfare programs in order to mitigate the adverse impacts of the trade-off.

Suggested Citation

  • Kumar, Santosh & Kugler, Adriana, 2011. "Testing the Children Quantity-Quality Trade-Off in India," MPRA Paper 42487, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:42487
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    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/42487/1/MPRA_paper_42487.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Carrasco, Marine & Kotchoni, Rachidi, 2017. "Efficient Estimation Using The Characteristic Function," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, pages 479-526.
    2. Damian Clarke, 2018. "Children And Their Parents: A Review Of Fertility And Causality," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 518-540, April.
    3. Christelle DUMAS & Arnaud LEFRANC, 2013. ""Sex in Marriage is a Divine Gift": For whom ? Evidence from the Manila contraceptive ban," THEMA Working Papers 2013-22, THEMA (THéorie Economique, Modélisation et Applications), Université de Cergy-Pontoise.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Quantity-quality tradeoff; Family size; Education; India;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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