Predictors Of Private Expenditure on School Education in Telangana

This article investigates predictors associated with private expenditure on school education for children aged 6 to 14 in Telangana, India, utilizing unit-level data from the National Sample Survey (NSS) 75th round (2017-2018). The research employs an analytical framework rooted in household expenditure functions. Multiple linear regression analysis identifies predictors of private educational expenditure, shedding light on socio-economic dynamics impacting educational financing. Results indicate significant associations between private spending and several factors. Household consumer expenditure and child age positively correlate with private spending, while Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC) exhibit negative associations. Additionally, private coaching positively impacts private educational expenditure. However, factors such as Other Backward Class (OBC), gender, rural residence, and minority status show no significant influence. Contrary to national trends, Telangana displays insignificant gender bias in educational spending. Despite elementary education being free, unequal spending persists based on socio-economic conditions. Economically disadvantaged families, those opting for government schools, STs, and SCs exhibit lower private expenditure. Notably, gender, rural residence, and OBC status, significant nationally, bear no relevance in Telangana's context.