Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

Working Papers in Economics,
University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics

No 781: Son Preferences and Education Inequalities in India

Heather Congdon Fors () and Annika Lindskog ()
Additional contact information
Heather Congdon Fors: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University, Postal: P.O. Box 640, SE 40530 GÖTEBORG, Sweden
Annika Lindskog: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University, Postal: P.O. Box 640, SE 40530 GÖTEBORG, Sweden

Abstract: We investigate the impact of son preferences in India on gender inequalities in education. We distinguish the impact of preferential treatment of boys from the impact of gender-biased fertility strategies (gender-specific fertility stopping rules and sex-selective abortions). Results show strong impacts of gender-biased fertility strategies on education differences between girls and boys. Preferential treatment of boys has a more limited impact on gender differences. Further, results suggest that gender-biased fertility strategies create gender inequalities in education both because girls and boys end up in systematically different families and because of gender-inequalities in pecuniary investment within families. The extra advantage of the eldest son within the family is small.

Keywords: Son preferences; Gender; Sex-selection; Fertility-stopping rules; Human Capital; Education; Birth order

JEL-codes: D13; I20; J16; O15

Language: English

31 pages, First version: October 2019. Revised: October 2021.

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