Reservation policy in local governments – Gram Panchayats – in India is one of three key means of affirmative action, ensuring lower caste groups are represented fairly in political institutions. Researchers have found local political reservations for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) populations strongly associated with more SC- and ST-friendly policies, increases in welfare spending and investment in infrastructure, as well as lower household poverty levels. This paper explores one potential indirect benefit of reservations, namely improvements in education attainment. The theory of role model effects is applied to the context of political reservations - greater presence of SC and ST presidents in Gram Panchayats could act as a positive role model of stereotype-defying success for SC and ST children, incentivizing more investment in education attainment. The paper tests the relationship between reservation rates and average completed years of schooling in a dose-response regression model at the sub-district level, using a sample of 13,408 SC children and 6,066 ST children ages 5 to 18 in Karnataka. The results of the analysis suggest that more SC and ST presidents in Gram Panchayats are associated with increases in education attainment among SC and ST children. Further research would be valuable to strengthen these findings and expand the literature on indirect benefits of reservations.
-
International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development - IJTSRD having
online ISSN 2456-6470. IJTSRD is a leading Open Access, Peer-Reviewed International
Journal which provides rapid publication of your research articles and aims to promote
the theory and practice along with knowledge sharing between researchers, developers,
engineers, students, and practitioners working in and around the world in many areas
like Sciences, Technology, Innovation, Engineering, Agriculture, Management and
many more and it is recommended by all Universities, review articles and short communications
in all subjects. IJTSRD running an International Journal who are proving quality
publication of peer reviewed and refereed international journals from diverse fields
that emphasizes new research, development and their applications. IJTSRD provides
an online access to exchange your research work, technical notes & surveying results
among professionals throughout the world in e-journals. IJTSRD is a fastest growing
and dynamic professional organization. The aim of this organization is to provide
access not only to world class research resources, but through its professionals
aim to bring in a significant transformation in the real of open access journals
and online publishing.