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Birth Order and Sibling Sex Composition Effects Among Surviving Children in India: Enrollment Status and Test Scores

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  • Momoe Makino

Abstract

While the birth of later‐born girls seems least welcome in India, where gender discrimination persists, birth order and sibling sex composition effects among surviving children are less known. The current study investigates whether later‐born girls are discriminated from their siblings once children survive up to primary school age in India. Examining the effects on test scores reveals that there is no negative later‐born effect for girls among surviving children. Instead, girls seem to be consistently at an advantage if they have elder sisters. Furthermore, gender bias among primary school age children is detected only in households of larger size. This implies that gender discrimination is severe in terms of survival, but once children survive up to primary school age they are treated equally.

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  • Momoe Makino, 2018. "Birth Order and Sibling Sex Composition Effects Among Surviving Children in India: Enrollment Status and Test Scores," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 56(3), pages 157-196, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:deveco:v:56:y:2018:i:3:p:157-196
    DOI: 10.1111/deve.12179
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    1. Heather Congdon Fors & Annika Lindskog, 2023. "Within‐family inequalities in human capital accumulation in India," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 3-28, February.

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