SERI-Doctoral Conference (SERI-D) 2025

The SERI-Doctoral Conference (SERI-D) 2025 was orgnaized on 6th and 7th February 2025 at the Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi Centre as part of the Annual Capacity Building Workshop of the Digital Platforms and Women's Economic Empowerment (DP-WEE) project in collaboration with the Society for Economics Research in India (SERI). The SERI-D conference aims to offer a platform for advanced graduate students to present complete papers for focused feedback and inputs that will enable them to take these to publication in internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals.

The conference included a keynote lecture and research presentations from scholars representing leading Indian institutions, followed by insightful discussions led by expert discussants. Over two days, academicians explored diverse topics across various fields of economics. With more than 60 attendees from academia, think tanks, and government institutions, the event fostered rich discussions and meaningful exchanges.

Project Head, Prof. Farzana Afridi  set the context of the workshop addressing the participants during her welcome remarks followed by Keynote lecture by Prof. Taryn Dinkelman. The title of her lecture was “Does Education Make Women Work? Evidence from Free Primary Education Laws”. (Slides) Stating some of her research findings, she mentioned that both early and late free primary education exposure reduces the female labour force participation rate.  Video coming soon

Paper 1: "Signing for Safety: Can Mandatory Marriage Registration Reduce Domestic Violence?" (Slides)
Presenter: Rikhia Bhukta (IIT Kanpur) | Discussant: Anomita Ghosh (IISER Bhopal)
This study examines the impact of mandatory marriage registration in Bihar and Jharkhand, finding that it reduces domestic violence, polygamy, and child marriage, particularly after anti-corruption measures improve public-service delivery. The discussant suggested further exploration into women's propensity to report domestic violence and its effects on household decision-making.

Paper 2: "Segregation or Diversification of Employees" (Slides)
Presenter: Ria Mongia (ISI Delhi) | Discussant: Anirban Kar (Delhi School of Economics)
The paper explores how group identity and homophily influence workplace hiring, showing that as firms become more productive, they shift from segregation to diversification. The discussant recommended examining whether class dynamics overshadow social identity and suggested an extension where workers can move between employers.

Paper 3: "Does Religion Affect Borrowing? Evidence from India" (Slides)
Presenter: Khadija Aslam (Delhi School of Economics) | Discussant: Shampa Bhattacharjee (Shiv Nadar University)
This research finds that Islamic prohibitions on interest significantly lower Muslim demand for bank loans, even when accessibility and discrimination are ruled out. The discussant advised comparing Muslim and non-Muslim borrowing behavior and assessing whether bank expansion policies benefited other marginalized communities.

Paper 4: "Impacts of Community-Based Forest Management on Bird Diversity: Evidence from Nepal’s CFUG Program" (Slides)
Presenter: Agnij Sur (ISI Delhi) | Discussant: Ashokankur Datta (Shiv Nadar University)
Using data from Nepal’s CFUG program and eBird, the study shows that community-led forest management enhances bird species diversity, particularly in areas farther from protected regions. The discussant raised the question of whether bird diversity alone is a sufficient measure of broader ecosystem health.

Paper 5: "Does Zombie Lending Weaken Innovation? Empirical Evidence from the Indian Manufacturing Sector" (Slides)
Presenter: Asha Kumari Rai (IIT Indore) | Discussant: Anuradha Saha (Ashoka University)
This study explores how zombie lending—banks supporting failing firms—affects innovation in India’s manufacturing sector. Findings show that industries with a higher share of zombie firms exhibit lower R&D investment and patent growth. The discussant suggested investigating sectoral differences and alternative innovation measures beyond patents.

Paper 6: "Political Representation and Forest Conservation in Jharkhand: Do Regimes of Property Rights Matter?" (Slides)
Presenter: Rahul Kamal (Centre for Development Studies) | Discussant: E. Somanathan (ISI, Delhi)
Analyzing the impact of PESA on forest cover, this research highlights how stronger property rights amplify conservation benefits. Regions with well-defined land rights experienced greater increases in forest cover than those with weaker rights. The discussant raised questions about the causal link between political representation and conservation outcomes.

Paper 7: "Under Pressure: High-Stakes Exams and Media-Reported Student Suicides in India" (Slides)
Presenter: Subarna Banerjee (Shiv Nadar University) | Discussant: Bipasha Maity (Ashoka University)
This study finds an 18% increase in student suicides during exam months, with girls facing a disproportionately higher risk. Using high-frequency media data, the research highlights the urgent need for mental health interventions. The discussant emphasized exploring policy solutions, including exam structure reforms and student support mechanisms.

Paper 8: "Analyzing the Impact of Cash Transfer Policies and Population Disincentives on Income Inequality" (Slides)
Presenter: Bazrapani Maity (Jadavpur University) | Discussant: Mausumi Das (Shiv Nadar University)
Using an Overlapping Generations model, this paper examines how cash transfers and population disincentive programs influence income inequality. Results show that Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs) and Population Disincentive Programs (PDIP) effectively reduce inequality, whereas Unconditional Cash Transfers (UCTs) have no significant impact. The discussant suggested assessing long-term policy implications on economic mobility.

Paper 9: "The Macroeconomic Dynamics of India’s Green Transition: A Real Business Cycle Perspective" (Slides)
Presenter: Saurav Kumar (IGIDR) | Discussant: Suchismita Tarafdar (Shiv Nadar University)
This research evaluates India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) using an E-DSGE model, showing that under current policies, green energy takes nearly seven years to catch up. Higher subsidies on green resources could accelerate this transition. The discussant encouraged further exploration of alternative policy frameworks and international comparisons.

Prof. Rashmi Barua extended a vote of thanks on behalf of the SERI organizing committee, expressing gratitude to all presenters for their contributions, the discussants for their invaluable feedback, and the DP-WEE organizing team for their dedicated efforts in making the conference a success.