Archive · 20 Jan 2026
IIM Lucknow Study on Local Leadership and Health Outcomes
Researchers from IIM Lucknow did a study to see how having local leaders from Scheduled Castes (SC) affects health and education in villages.
They looked at 60 villages with SC leaders and 60 without.
They found that villages with SC leaders had better health outcomes, like lower infant mortality rates and better maternal health care.
However, there was no improvement in education outcomes.
The study suggests that having local leaders from disadvantaged groups can help improve health but may not have the same effect on education due to social inequalities.
A study by IIM Lucknow found that villages with SC-reserved local leadership had significantly better health outcomes, including lower infant mortality rates and improved maternal health indicators.
The study compared 60 village clusters with SC-reserved leadership to 60 without such reservations in 2021.
Improvements in health outcomes included higher odds of receiving at least two prenatal visits, tetanus vaccinations, and prenatal supplements by the second trimester.
No statistically significant difference in test scores was found between the two groups, indicating no improvement in education outcomes.
Scheduled Caste leaders experienced difficulties working with teachers, suggesting persistent social inequalities may limit the effectiveness of improved education outcomes.
- Who
- Researchers at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow
- What
- A study on the impact of local leadership reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) in India's local governments on health and education outcomes
- When
- Published on Tuesday, January 20, 2024
- Where
- India, focusing on village clusters with and without SC-reserved leadership
- Why
- To understand how structural interventions can address social and health inequities
- Institution
- Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow
- Journal
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)
- Study Focus
- Impact of local leadership reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) in India's local governments
- Sample Size
- 120 village clusters (60 with SC-reserved leadership, 60 without)
- Year of Study
- 2021
- Key Findings
- Improved health outcomes in villages with SC-reserved leadership, no significant improvement in education outcomes