The Effects of Elite Public Colleges on Primary and Secondary Schooling Markets in India
69 Pages Posted: 17 May 2017 Last revised: 18 Feb 2018
Date Written: February 15, 2018
Abstract
We present the first estimates of the effects of higher education investments on lower levels of schooling. Using the roll-out of elite public colleges in India, we show that investments in higher education increased educational attainment among school-age children. Private schools entered districts with new elite public colleges, and students switched from public to private schools. We find suggestive evidence that elite colleges led to focal investments in electricity, roads and water services reducing setup costs for private schools, and consequently, travel costs for school-going children.
Keywords: higher education, educational attainment, private schools, public infrastructure
JEL Classification: H52, I21, I23, I25, O15
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation