Research

 "Unintended Consequences of Affirmative Action in Higher Education: Evidence from India"

While Affirmative action in India has predominantly addressed caste-based disparities, the specific impacts on "Other Backward Classes" (OBC) in higher education remain underexplored. This study examines the state-level implementation of reservation policies — quotas in higher education institutions — for the OBC population. It examines how these policies affect higher education attainment among the OBC, with a particular focus on gender differences. Using a triple-difference strategy with data from the National Sample Survey of India, I find that state-level policies do not significantly improve the higher education attainment for the OBC, regardless of gender. Specifically, the event study shows an initial decrease in higher education attainment for OBC females, while no substantial shift is observed for OBC males. Further analysis highlights that reservation policies may benefit females from financially better-off families or those with highly educated household heads. These findings suggest social norms favoring sons in India may hinder educational opportunities for girls in resource-constrained households.

"Peer Effects on College Choice: Evidence from Affirmative Action in China" ( with Xiaoyang Ye, Brown University)

"Bridging Gaps: How Teacher Diversity Shapes Student Achievement" ( with Margarita Pivovarova and Jeanne M. Powers, Arizona State University)

"From Classroom to Harvest: The Effect of Agricultural Price Shocks on Child Labor in China" ( with Jingcheng Jiang, Hitotsubashi University)