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Augmenting State Capacity for Child Development: Experimental Evidence from India

Author

Listed:
  • Alejandro J. Ganimian
  • Karthik Muralidharan
  • Christopher R. Walters

Abstract

We use a large-scale randomized experiment to study the impact of augmenting staffing in the world’s largest public early childhood program: India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Adding a half-time worker doubled net preschool instructional time and led to 0.29σ and 0.46σ increases in math and language test scores after 18 months for children who remained enrolled in the program. Rates of stunting and severe malnutrition were also lower in the treatment group. A cost-benefit analysis suggests that the benefits of augmenting ICDS staffing are likely to significantly exceed its costs even under conservative assumptions.

Suggested Citation

  • Alejandro J. Ganimian & Karthik Muralidharan & Christopher R. Walters, 2021. "Augmenting State Capacity for Child Development: Experimental Evidence from India," NBER Working Papers 28780, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:28780
    Note: CH DEV ED LS PE
    as

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    Cited by:

    1. Dinarte Diaz,Lelys Ileana & Egana-delSol,Pablo & Martinez A.,Claudia, 2022. "Socioemotional Skills Development in Highly Violent Contexts : Measurements and Impacts," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9957, The World Bank.
    2. Abhijeet Singh & Mauricio Romero & Karthik Muralidharan, 2022. "Covid-19 Learning Loss and Recovery: Panel Data Evidence from India," CESifo Working Paper Series 10031, CESifo.
    3. Naveen Kumar & Vinitha Varghese, 2022. "Elementary education in India versus China: Guidelines for NEP implementation," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2022-64, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Dinarte Diaz, Lelys & Egana-delSol, Pablo & Martínez A., Claudia & Rojas A., Cindy, 2024. "When Emotion Regulation Matters: The Efficacy of Socio-Emotional Learning to Address School-Based Violence in Central America," IZA Discussion Papers 16831, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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