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Teacher Absence in India: A Snapshot

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Author Info
Michael Kremer (Harvard University,)
Nazmul Chaudhury (World Bank,)
F. Halsey Rogers (World Bank,)
Karthik Muralidharan (Harvard University,)
Jeffrey Hammer (World Bank,)

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Abstract

Twenty-five percent of teachers were absent from school, and only about half were teaching, during unannounced visits to a nationally representative sample of government primary schools in India. Absence rates varied from 15% in Maharashtra to 42% in Jharkhand, with higher rates concentrated in the poorer states. We do not find that higher pay is associated with lower absence. Older teachers, more educated teachers, and head teachers are all paid more but are also more frequently absent; contract teachers are paid much less than regular teachers but have similar absence rates; and although relative teacher salaries are higher in poorer states, absence rates are also higher. Teacher absence is more correlated with daily incentives to attend work: teachers are less likely to be absent at schools that have been inspected recently, that have better infrastructure, and that are closer to a paved road. We find little evidence that attempting to strengthen local community ties will reduce absence. Teachers from the local area have similar absence rates as teachers from outside the community. Locally controlled nonformal schools have slightly higher absence rates than schools run by the state government. The existence of a PTA is not correlated with lower absence. Private-school teachers are only slightly less likely to be absent than public-school teachers in general, but are 8 percentage points less likely to be absent than public-school teachers in the same village. (JEL: O15, I21, H41, H52) Copyright (c) 2005 The European Economic Association.

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Article provided by MIT Press in its journal Journal of the European Economic Association.

Volume (Year): 3 (2005)
Issue (Month): 2-3 (04/05)
Pages: 658-667
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Handle: RePEc:tpr:jeurec:v:3:y:2005:i:2-3:p:658-667

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  1. Banerjee, Abhijit & Cole, Shawn & Duflo, Esther & Linden, Leigh, 2006. "Remedying Education: Evidence from Two Randomized Experiments in India," CEPR Discussion Papers 5446, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. Roy Bahl & Eunice Heredia-Ortiz & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Mark Rider, 2005. "India: Fiscal Condition of the States, International Experience,and Options for Reform: Volume 2," International Studies Program Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper05142, International Studies Program, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Geoffrey N. Keim & Beth Anne Wilson, 2007. "India's future: it's about jobs," International Finance Discussion Papers 913, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.). [Downloadable!]
  4. Abhijit Banerjee, 2008. "What is Middle Class About the Middle Classes Around the World?," Working Papers id:1363, esocialsciences.com. [Downloadable!]
  5. Bourguignon, Francois & Rogers, F. Halsey, 2007. "Distributional effects of educational improvements :are we using the wrong model ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4427, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  6. Jean Bourdon & Markus Frölich & Katharina Michaelowa, 2007. "Teacher Shortages, Teacher Contracts and their Impact on Education in Africa," IZA Discussion Papers 2844, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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  7. Banerjee, Abhijit & Duflo, Esther, 2006. "The Economic Lives of the Poor," CEPR Discussion Papers 5968, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  8. Basu, Kaushik, 2006. "Teacher Truancy in India: The Role of Culture, Norms and Economic Incentives," Working Papers 06-03, Cornell University, Center for Analytic Economics. [Downloadable!]
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  9. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Mark Rider, 2005. "Fiscal Decentralization and Economic Growth: A Comparative Study of China and India," International Studies Program Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0519, International Studies Program, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University. [Downloadable!]
  10. Abhijit Banerjee, 2006. "Remedying Education: Evidence from Two Randomised Experiments in India," Working Papers id:360, esocialsciences.com. [Downloadable!]
  11. Singh, Nirvikar, 2007. "Fiscal Federalism and Decentralization in India," MPRA Paper 1447, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  12. Marco Manacorda, 2008. "The Cost of Grade Retention," CEP Discussion Papers dp0878, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE. [Downloadable!]
  13. Singh, Nirvikar, 2008. "Decentralization and Public Delivery of Health Care Services in India," MPRA Paper 7869, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  14. Sharon Bernhardt, 2006. "Participation in a School Incentive Programme in Karnataka," Working Papers id:319, esocialsciences.com. [Downloadable!]
  15. Abhijit Banerjee & Shawn Cole & Esther Duflo & Leigh Linden, 2005. "Remedying Education: Evidence from Two Randomized Experiments in India," Natural Field Experiments 0018, The Field Experiments Website. [Downloadable!]
  16. Das, Jishnu & Pandey, Priyanka & Zajonc, Tristan, 2006. "Learning levels and gaps in Pakistan," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4067, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
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