Gender Segregation in Education: Evidence From Higher Secondary Stream Choice in India

Area of Science:

• Sociology of Education
• Development Economics
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Gender disparities in education persist globally, particularly in developing nations.
• Field of study choices at the secondary level can significantly influence future economic opportunities.
• Understanding the determinants of these choices is crucial for addressing gender inequality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the extent and causes of the gender gap in higher secondary stream selection in India.
• To investigate whether cognitive ability explains the observed gender disparity in STEM and commerce fields.
• To examine the long-term implications of early educational segregation on economic outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a nationally representative longitudinal dataset from India.
• Employed fixed-effects regressions to control for regional and household-level unobserved heterogeneity.
• Conducted sensitivity analyses, including sibling fixed effects and addressing sample selection.

Main Results:

• Girls are approximately 20 percentage points less likely than boys to choose science (STEM) and commerce streams over humanities.
• This gender gap in stream choice persists even after controlling for past academic performance (test scores).
• Girls are most underrepresented in science fields, indicating significant gendered educational trajectories.

Conclusions:

• Gender-based segregation in secondary education is established early, significantly impacting future economic outcomes.
• Educational stream choices are a critical determinant of occupational segregation and gender pay gaps later in life.
• Interventions to promote gender equality in economic outcomes must address early-life educational choices and opportunities.