Department of Humanities and Social Sciences

IIT Madras is a public technical and research university located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Founded in 1959, it is recognised as an Institute of National Importance.

IIT Madras has been ranked as the top engineering institute in India for four years in a row by the National Institutional Ranking Framework of the MHRD

It currently offers undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees across 16 disciplines in Engineering, Sciences, Humanities and Management. About 596 faculty belonging to science and engineering departments and centres of the Institute are engaged in teaching, research and industrial consultancy.

IIT Madras

This paper investigates the convergence in cost efficiency among the Indian commercial banks during 1998–2015. We follow a two-step approach: We first employ the double bootstrap procedure of Simar and Wilson (J Econom 136:31–64, 2007) for estimating the bias-corrected cost efficiency scores. Using a dynamic panel framework, we then apply the concepts of β-convergence and σ-convergence from the growth convergence literature to evaluate the convergence process in the banking industry. Our results indicate large difference in mean efficiency among banks across various ownership categories. Further, we observe strong evidence favouring convergence in cost efficiency, driven by both “catching-up” and “lagging-behind” phenomena. The speed of convergence was found highest in state-owned banks, followed by foreign-owned and domestic private banks. © 2020, Editorial Office, Indian Economic Review.

World University root node

Fulltext

Indian Economic Review

Financial deregulation, competition and cost efficiency of Indian commercial banks: is there any convergence?

This paper investigates the effect of financing constraints on the extensive and intensive margins of exports using a rich firm-level data on Indian manufacturing firms. Following the literature, we adopt liquidity ratio and leverage ratio as the measures of financing constraints and control for other firm-level factors. Controlling for initial conditions, endogeneity, and selection bias, we find that financing constraints have a significant impact on the extensive margin of exports. Using Propensity Score Matching –Differences in Differences approach, we find significant post-entry effects of exports on firm financial performance. © 2020, Academy of Economics and Finance.

Journal of Economics and Finance

Financing constraints and exports: evidence from India

Background Long distances to facilities, topographical constraints, inadequate service capacity of institutions and insufficient/ rudimentary road &amp; transportation network culminate into unprecedented barriers to access. These barriers gets exacerbated in presence of external factors like conflict and political disruptions. Thus, this study was conducted in rural, remote and fragile region in India measuring geographical accessibility and modelling spatial coverage of public healthcare network.Methods Vector and raster based approaches were used to discern accessibility for various packages of service delivery. Alternative scenarios derived from local experiences were modelled using health facility, population and ancillary data. Based on that, a raster surface of travel time between facilities and population was developed by incorporating terrain, physical barriers, topography and travelling modes and speeds through various land-cover classes. Concomitantly, spatial coverage was modelled to delineate catchment areas. Further, underserved population and zonal statistics were assessed in an interactive modelling approach to ascertain spatial relationship between population, travel time and zonal boundaries. Finally, raster surface of travel time was re-modelled for the conflict situation in villages vulnerable to obstruction of access due to disturbed security scenario.Results Euclidean buffers revealed 11% villages without ambulatory &amp; immunization care within 2 km radius. Similarly, for 5 km radius, 11% and 12% villages were bereft of delivery and inpatient care. Travel time accessibility analysis divulged walking scenario exhibiting lowest level of accessibility. Enabling motorized travel improved accessibility measures, with highest degree of accessibility for privately owned vehicle (motorcycle and cars). Differential results were found between packages of services where ambulatory &amp; immunization care was relatively accessible by walking; whereas, delivery and inpatient care had a staggering average of three hours walking time. Even with best scenario, around 2/3rd population remained unserved for all package of services. Moreover, 90% villages in conflict zone grapples with inaccessibility when the scenario of heightened border tensions was considered.Conclusions Our study demonstrated the application of GIS technique to facilitate evidence backed planning at granular level. Regardless of the scenario, the analysis divulged inaccessibility to delivery and inpatient care to be most pronounced and majority of population to be unserved. It was suggested to have concerted efforts to bolster already existing facilities and adapt systems approach to exploit synergies of inter-sectoral development.

PLoS ONE

Geographical accessibility and spatial coverage modelling of public health care network in rural and remote India

Background Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak, called coronavirus disease - 2019 (COVID-19), has affected more than 200 countries across the globe with a higher fatality rate among the elderly population. Aim of the study is to highlight the vulnerability of the aged amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic, and in the light of the recent international evidence, suggests what government could do to mitigate their vulnerability.Methods Data from the recently released (November 2019) 75th Round National Sample Survey (NSS), which was conducted from July 2017 to June 2018, across 8077 rural villages and 6181 urban wards was used for this study. Data collected from 555,115 individuals (rural: 325,232; urban: 229,232) included 42,762 elderly individuals (60 years or above). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used for the calculation.Results Of the total sample of elderly individuals, 27.7% reported suffering from an ailment in the last 15 days, whereas 8.5% had been hospitalized during the last 365 days. Among the elderly, hospitalization rate was higher in the urban areas (OR: 1.23), general social category (OR: 1.18), richest economic quintile (OR: 1.69), and among those living alone (OR: 2.40). Also, among the elderly, 64% of those in the scheduled tribe (social group) and 51% in the poorest economic quintile utilized public facilities for hospitalization. Cardiovascular ailments were the major cause for hospitalization (18.1%) and outpatient visit (32%) among the elderly. Ailments related to diabetes and hypertension constituted 55% of outpatient visit for the elderly. Only 18.9% of the elderly had health insurance though chances of facing catastrophic health expenditures were high among the elderly. 6.6% of elderly female and 1.6% male live alone, and 27.5% of age 80 years and above are immobile. 50% of male and 90% of female are financially dependent on others and more so in poorer economic quintiles.Conclusions The vulnerability of India’s elderly increases across economic levels, and other dimensions such as the place of residence, gender, social group (caste), marital status, living arrangements, surviving children, and economic dependence. The current COVID-19 pandemic poses a greater risk of social isolation among the elderly, which may cause detrimental health impact.

Globalization and Health

Equity and elderly health in India: Reflections from 75th round National Sample Survey, 2017-18, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

Rising greenhouse gasses (GHGs) emissions and growing economic inequalities have emerged as key challenges for policymakers over the past two decades and the problems are likely to intensify in the foreseeable future. Numerous studies in the past have examined the relationship between these and implications on growth and equity of nations. Contributing to this literature, the present paper examines cross country differences within the BRICS economies in historical GHGs emission from 1991 to 2018 and analyzes the relationship between income inequality and emission levels and productivity. Additionally, we also inspect the role of energy use, equity and emission intensity. In doing so, data from the World Development Indicators (WDI) is used for clusters of countries while also estimating sector specific trends in GHGs emissions for priority sectors such as agriculture and industry. The hypothesis is to validate whether economic growth improves the trade off with equity, and vice-versa. With the Paris Agreement (COP21) making veiled reference to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) in tackling global warming the findings from the analysis would also signal towards efficacy of the targets set under the intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs).

Energy and Climate Change

The tradeoffs between GHGs emissions, income inequality and productivity

India and China have entered a new low in their bilateral relations. Having fought a war in 1962, it took over three decades for both countries to achieve normalcy at the borders, aided by a series of border management agreements and protocols to maintain tranquility along the border areas. However, the June 2020 Galwan clashes have changed that permanently. This paper argues that the current escalation of border clashes is both a symptom and consequence of the breakdown of the bilateral border management framework which has been dented since the 2017 Doklam standoff between both countries. Delving into diplomatic history relating to Doklam and Galwan, the findings point to the need to correct the epistemic criteria used to reproduce claims of an unambiguous boundary between India and China by both countries, in order to ensure abatement of similar outcomes. © 2020 The Royal Society for Asian Affairs.

Asian Affairs

THE CORROSIVE COMPROMISE OF THE SINO-INDIAN BORDER MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK: FROM DOKLAM TO GALWAN

The disease burden among the elderly population is significantly higher compared to the younger population, according to the data from the 75th round National Sample Survey, 2017–18, which increases their vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic. The footprint of elderly population in public facilities for inpatient and outpatient care has increased over the years. Financially, the elderly face far less burden in public facilities than in private facilities.

Commentary

Higher disease burden in India's elderly

The objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between innovation and firms’ participation in global value chains (GVCs). To achieve this objective, we use rich firm-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES), spanning the period of 2006–2017, belonging to 90 countries. Accounting for endogeneity arising from reverse causality, our study finds firm innovation to be a driver of firm GVC participation across countries. These findings are robust to alternative measures of innovation and various sub-sample analysis. © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Small Business Economics

Firm innovation and global value chain participation

The standardized acoustic testing of construction materials and methods, and the laboratory setups for carrying out such tests, had several genealogies. Up to World War I, musical listening, musical literacy, and musical practice were the essential skills for acoustic measurement. During and after the war, however, musical listening became increasingly irrelevant to measurement— acousticians now needed skills in electrical engineering and radio to design and use electrical measurement and recording technology. Instead of the inherently subjective human ear, it was now the apparently objective electric system that defined acoustic measurement. Sound abatement initiatives, the rise of electroacoustic technologies, and a transformed understanding of architectural acoustics (especially through the work of Harvard physicist Wallace Sabine in the early twentieth century) all played major roles in the development of a large variety of construction materials with specific acoustic properties. Electroacoustic media, especially radio broadcasting and systems of sound motion pictures and amplification, required new materials to be deployed in the acoustic design of spaces for recording and playback.

in  Testing Hearing: The Making of Modern Aurality, edited by Viktoria Tkaczyk, Mara Mills, and Alexandra Hui

Absorption, Transmission, Reflection: Testing Materials in the Laboratory

This paper is concerned with the dilemma faced by foreign language studies. On the one hand, foreign language education has humanistic leanings and on the other it is increasingly tending to vocational skills. It argues that these two positions need not be seen in opposition. Anchored in a philological perspective, the paper takes stock of foreign language studies in India to elucidate the dilemma. It looks at the narrow vocational focus and increasing corporate culture brought into foreign language curricula and universities respectively. It proposes “transcultural competence” as the “humanistic learning objective”, to balance effectively the dilemma confronting foreign language learning. Given this objective, the paper talks of the identity of a foreign language teacher, who in the transcultural perspective is a mediator between cultures. In addition, the responsibility of a foreign language teacher is to help students not only to discover the foreign culture but&nbsp; also to look at own culture/tradition afresh and to begin questioning one’s understanding of oneself all over again.