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Exclusive quota for economically weaker sections

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  • Pandey, Shivendra Kumar

Abstract

Literature indicates that candidates from higher socio-economic strata within the marginalised castes/ethnicities reap the benefits of affirmative action (AA). Some governments addressed the issue by incorporating socio-economic measures with caste/ethnicity in AA. However, no government has implemented a quota purely based on income for the non-marginalised castes/ethnicities. India provides a unique setting as it started an exclusive quota in higher educational institutes for upper castes’ economically weaker section (EWS) candidates. Our model tests and finds that EWS candidates performed similar to general candidates throughout the academic career and also in the Combined Admissions Test (CAT) for entering into the prestigious Indian Institutes of Managements (IIMs). However, females require AA to make it to the IIMs in sizeable proportions. We recommend adding weight to the magnitude of poverty within the EWS category in the AA policy and providing quotas for females within castes in higher education.

Suggested Citation

  • Pandey, Shivendra Kumar, 2025. "Exclusive quota for economically weaker sections," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 47(6), pages 1246-1263.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jpolmo:v:47:y:2025:i:6:p:1246-1263
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jpolmod.2025.09.001
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    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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