Impact of an Affimative Action Program in Employment on Child Mortality in India

Abstract

We evaluate whether a major affirmative action program for a deprived caste in India has affected infant and child mortality rates among the target caste. The program reserves a substantial fraction of public sector jobs for those from the deprived caste and was implemented on September 8, 1993. We use the National Family and Health Survey and we allow mortality rates to depend on family composition, conditions very early in life, current conditions, caste affiliation, and the implementation of the affirmative action program in employment. Results point towards a favorable impact of the policy with a decrease of the child mortality rate for the target group of the program in rural areas - the areas where the child mortality has been highest.