Child Labour and Schooling Outcomes among Children in India: An Analysis of Levels, Trends and Differentials

Rajaram S. Potty, J.S.S. Institute of Economic Research
Jayachandran Vasudevan, Constella Futures, India

The present paper examines the levels, trends and differentials in schooling outcomes among children in India, using data from the census for the years 1991 and 2001 and two rounds of NFHS conducted during 1992 to 1993 and 1998 to 2000. Two aspects, such as, 'ever been to school' and 'completed grade 5' among children are studied using logistic regression and mean logarithmic deviation (MLD) method. The results of logistic regression indicate that the effects of majority of the variables used are highly significant. The adjusted values estimated indicates higher differentials according to sex and working status of the child, standard of living index, education attained by an usual female or male adult member and religion. However, the results of decomposition method using the MLD suggests a relative high variation according to work status of child, household’s standard of living, educational level attained by an usual adult female or male member in the household