Parent’s Choice Function for Ward’s School Continuation in Rural India: A Case Study in West Bengal

In this paper we present a choice function of a rural household about her/his ward?s schooling. It makes an empirical evaluation on the basis of simple theoretical framework using primary data set, surveyed from two backward districts of West Bengal. It explores the underlying causes of discontinuation of school of wards by examining choice function of the parents using ordered probit analysis. The likelihood of drop out is higher in primary level towards low income category households and significantly depends on parents? attributes which are mostly endogenous in an educational production function and other exogenous difficulties in accessing school. It is also triggered up by lack of expectation about the future impact of child education on life.