Dear All,

The Department of Economics invites you to the PhD Defense seminar on Wednesday, December 10th, 2025.

Time: 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM

Venue: AC-03-003

Speaker: Sakshi Satija

Title: Essays on Political Economy and Gender in India

Abstract:  This dissertation examines three central themes in political economy and gender in India. Using structural modeling, quasi-experimental methods, and rich Indian datasets, the three essays examine (i) the impact of sectoral demand shifts on women’s employment, (ii) how electoral cycles influence household consumption, and (iii) whether the educational qualifications of elected leaders affect women’s employment.

The first chapter investigates the stagnation of female employment in urban India through the lens of a structural macroeconomic framework. Using a two-sector model calibrated to Indian data from 1993 to 2017, the analysis assesses how differential productivity growth across sectors has shifted labor demand patterns and affected women’s employment. The results from counterfactual exercises show that higher productivity growth in the service sector, where women are predominantly employed, has reduced female employment. Rising educational attainment among women has partially mitigated this effect; the model predicts that if all women were high-skilled, their employment would nearly double. The chapter also shows that rising household demand for services initially boosts women’s employment, but the gains taper off beyond a point, highlighting the limits of demand-driven structural change and the need for complementary policies.

The second chapter explores the impact of electoral cycles on household consumption in India. Using panel data from the Consumer Pyramids Household Survey, the study finds that households increase spending during the year leading up to state elections, with the largest effects occurring in the final four months before voting. While part of this surge can be attributed to enhanced government transfers, the primary driver appears to be unaccounted cash inflows, likely resulting from the strategic distribution of funds by political parties. The effect is especially pronounced in closely contested elections. These findings shed light on the economic distortions caused by electoral strategies in democratic settings.

The third chapter analyzes whether the educational qualifications of elected leaders affect women’s labor market outcomes. Exploiting quasi-random variation from close elections between graduate and non-graduate candidates, it finds that districts with a higher share of graduate politicians witness significant improvements in women’s employment, particularly through increased rural self-employment in agriculture. Evidence suggests that these gains are driven primarily by broader development investments by educated leaders, such as improved irrigation and local economic growth, rather than explicitly gender-targeted interventions. These findings underscore the potential of educated leaders in promoting inclusive growth, with indirect benefits for women through broader development initiatives.

Together, the three chapters advance our understanding of how economic structures, political incentives, and leadership attributes influence development outcomes. 

Thanks & Regards,

Manish