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Educational and occupational mobility across generations in India: social and regional dimensions

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  • Ray, Jhilam
  • Majumder, Rajarshi

Abstract

Educational and Occupational Mobility is a cherished dream for all groups of people, more so for those who are at the bottom rungs of society. However, it is often seen that upward mobility is concentrated among the socially well-offs leading to divergence in educational attainment and occupational levels. Such divergence is reflected in earning capabilities as well, thereby aggravating the problems of economic and social inequality. The present paper examines the extent of intergenerational mobility in both educational and occupational attainments for diverse social groups in India to understand the inertia of inequality. A regional dimension is also explored to examine whether patterns are similar or otherwise across the country. Results indicate strong intergenerational stickiness in both educational achievement and occupational distribution among the backward social groups. Occupational mobility is lower than educational mobility indicating that educational progress is not being transformed to occupational improvement and brings up the possibility of discrimination in the labour market. Regional disparities in mobility levels indicate that states in India have had different social processes in force.

Suggested Citation

  • Ray, Jhilam & Majumder, Rajarshi, 2010. "Educational and occupational mobility across generations in India: social and regional dimensions," MPRA Paper 28539, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:28539
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    Cited by:

    1. Emran, M. Shahe & Shilpi, Forhad, 2015. "Gender, Geography, and Generations: Intergenerational Educational Mobility in Post-Reform India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 362-380.
    2. Majumder, Rajarshi & Ray, Jhilam, 2016. "Development and Exclusion: Intergenerational Stickiness in India," MPRA Paper 71182, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Vachaspati Shukla, 2021. "Group Disparities in Educational Outcomes: An Age Cohort Perspective," Indian Journal of Human Development, , vol. 15(2), pages 334-352, August.
    4. Tamalika Lodh & Poulomi Roy & Malabika Roy, 2021. "Intergenerational occupational mobility in India across social groups," Indian Economic Review, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 405-433, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Intergenerational Mobility; Education; Occupational Choice; Social Disparity; India;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • N35 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Asia including Middle East
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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