Do Unwanted Births Affect the Educational Well-Being of Indian Children? Evidence from a Panel Study

In India, the occurrence of unwanted births is linked to the growing preference for smaller family sizes, revealing a gap between family planning goals and effective contraception. While previous studies have acknowledged the adverse health outcomes of unwanted births, there is limited literature on their impact on educational well-being. This study examines the effect of unwanted births on the educational well-being of Indian children, using data from the India Human Development Survey panel of 6,575 children aged 1–4 in 2005, followed up in 2012. Using the principal component factor analysis and propensity score matching, we found that unwanted births significantly reduce both objective and subjective educational well-being scores. Additionally, improved sanitation, higher socioeconomic status, and greater educational attainment among adults, especially females, in households were associated with better educational outcomes. The findings highlight the importance of effective family planning programmes to reduce unwanted births and enhance child development in India. JEL Codes: C31, C38, C52, I24, J13, Y8