Household Headship and Academic Skills of Children: New Evidence from India

Upasak Das, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR)
Ashish Singh, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR)
Sarthak Gaurav, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR)

This study examines the academic skills of Indian children aged 8-11 years belonging to households headed by males, married females and widows respectively. Using logistic regressions analysis of test scores of children across the dimensions of reading, mathematics and writing skills from a nationally representative sample, we find that children from female headed households either perform better or similar, but never worse than those from male headed households. Also, a household fixed effect analysis reveals no gender difference in academic scores of children belonging to female headed households which is not the case with children from male headed households.