Author Archives: admin

Financing Higher Education in India – Education Loans can never be the Only Solution

LEAD Research Team

In my previous blogs, I have spoken in great length about the need for public expenditure in higher education. In this section, I would like to highlight one of the most preferred options for financing higher education in India, namely … Read More

Problems with Financing Higher Education in India

LEAD Research Team

The debate surrounding around the issues with financing higher education is primarily because ‘education’ is considered to be a quasi- public good. It is a public good because the benefits out of it largely affect society through human capital formation … Read More

How is Higher Education Financed in India?

LEAD Research Team

Within the economics literature, education is considered to be one of the classic public goods (Grace, 1989). Public good is a good where benefits of engaging in the activity are accrued not just to the individual, but to society at … Read More

HiH Self-Help Group Training – Dreaming Big!!

LEAD Research Team

I recently attended a self-help group (SHG) training session organised by Hand in Hand (HiH). Before getting into the specifics, let me give you a little more insight into the training sessions provided by HiH. HiH is an NGO which … Read More

Informally Successful? – A Fish-seller's Tale

LEAD Research Team

Here is an interesting tale of savings from a fish-seller I have known for quite some time. His reliance on informal savings is interesting as it has helped him supplement not only his livelihood but also enhance it further. Earlier, … Read More

Data vs Ideology – What Works for the Poor?

LEAD Research Team

Nate Silver –the man who challenged American political pundits to follow math– not their guts. I might sound full of pride- but this is probably that time when all researchers are probably finding some Nate Silver in themselves.   Picture … Read More

To Commit or not to Commit: Perspectives from a Research Paper

LEAD Research Team

As part of the savings month, we at CMF have also been reading and discussing various academic papers. Last week, I happen to lead the discussion on a paper that dealt with the aspect of commitment savings. Given that farmers … Read More

Improving Public Welfare Programs Through Village Participation

Samik Adhikari

In my last post, I raisedquestions about the measures to reduce corruption in a program of immense scale like MNREGA. This week, I want to shift the focus a little by trying to point out where exactly one form of … Read More

Shanti’s Savings Story – Moving from Informal Finance to Formal Finance

LEAD Research Team

Picture Credit: http://www.openthemagazine.com/ My name is Shanti and I live in 15 kms outside Varanasi. I have a small family with 3 children – Ruby who is 8, Rahul who is 7, and Rishu who is 1.5 years of age. … Read More

Why can’t Saraswati Save? Understanding her Dilemma!

Saraswati- an urban maid making Rs. 7,000/ month dreams of sending her children to college one day. Whenever asked why she is working, she proudly replies, “so that my children get better education”- yet- she fails to save a lump … Read More