Fertility, Education and Development: Further Evidence from India

Jean Dreze and Mamta Murthi
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Jean Dreze: Delhi School of Economics

No 76, Working papers from Centre for Development Economics, Delhi School of Economics

Abstract: There has been a significant decline in fertility in many parts of India since the early 1980s. This paper reexamines the determinants of fertility levels and fertility decline, using panel data on Indian districts for 1981 and 1991. We find that women's education is the most important factor explaining fertility differences across the country and over time. Low levels of child mortality and son preference also contribute to lower fertility. By contrast, general indicators of modernization and development such as urbanization, poverty reduction and male literacy bear no significant association with fertility. En passant, we probe a subject of much confusion - the relation between fertility decline and gender bias.

Keywords: fertility; demographic transition; female literacy; India (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 J13 J16 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 41 pages
Date: 2000-03
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Fertility, Education and Development: Further Evidence from India (2000)
Working Paper: Fertility, education and development: further evidence from India (2000)
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