Page 1 of 25
European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 07 Issue 05
May 2019
Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 213
A Study on the Causal Relationship between School
Infrastructure and Student Outcome in West Delhi District
By,
Siddharth Saha1
Student, Amity School of Economics
E-84, Flat No. 101, Mahavir Enclave, Bengali Colony
siddharthsaha6@gmail.com
Phone No. : 9560464796
And
Shivani Mehta2
Assistant Professor, Amiity School of Economics
smehta4@amity.edu
Phone No. : 7838110121
Abstract
Education is paramount for the development of human resources across the economy.
One is not alien to the fact that it is not just the teachers that impact over the learning of the
student and hence their outcomes. The proper dissemination of knowledge requires an
effective medium. Generally, this comes up in the form of “infrastructure”. The question at
Page 2 of 25
European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 07 Issue 05
May 2019
Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 214
hand being, how effective is infrastructure in serving as a medium that shall enhance student
learning and hence student outcomes. The paper aims to explore in regards to the same, with
the case of secondary school at hand. Student outcomes are assessed in terms of the number
of students in the school who are scoring above 80 percent in 12th class Board Examination.
The factors taken up for the study are. number of classrooms that are available in the school,
number of books available in the library, number of washrooms available in the school and
number of computers available. A Multiple Regression Analysis is run in order to study the
impact of latter on former.
Keywords: Education, Schooling, School Infrastructure, Student Learning, Student Outcome
Introduction
The Indian Education Industry apart from operating about a close network of 1.4
million schools and serving as one of the key players to contribute the GDP of the country. It
achieves so by improving the employment and other important factors that play a major role
in the long-term development of the country by developing its human resources (Madan
Sabnavis, Saurabh Bhalerao, 2018).
Thus, it becomes of paramount importance that the education industry of the country
works upon the enhancement of its outcome, this mainly comes in the form of progression
in the outcomes achieved by the students, this can be in the form of academic or extra
curriculum. There are a variety of methods through which this can be achieved be it in terms
of psychological impact, behavioral change, infrastructure etc. Infrastructure comes out to
be the most important and easily influenceable factors to impact student outcomes
(Schneider & M. 2003). School infrastructure can come about in various forms such as quality
of teachers, type of school building, all weather roads, quality of classrooms, number of
Page 3 of 25
European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 07 Issue 05
May 2019
Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 215
working days, accessible library, washrooms etc. However, one may divide these various
infrastructural aspects into qualitative and quantitative aspects (S Jinno & T Kosaka, 2006).
Qualitative aspects may include quality of teachers, type of school building, all weather roads,
quality of classrooms etc. while quantitative aspects include number of classrooms, number
od books in the library, number of working days, number of faculty available per student etc.
As the topic suggest the aim of the paper is to study the causal relationship between school
infrastructure and student outcome, this positions quantitative aspects apt for the study (A
Bobbio, L Portinale & M Minichino, 2001). Number of classrooms form a crucial factor that
accounts for quantitative aspect (V Tinto, 1997). The number of classrooms is found to have
a positive relation with the student progression (Plank, S., Bradshaw, & Young, H. 2009).
Similarly, number of books in library (Mark Anderson, 2009), number of washrooms (F
Javier Murillo, 2013) and number of computer (F Javier Murillo, 2013) are also accounted to
be a factor in a variety of papers.
Incorporating the student outcomes is vital in order to measure the progress that
comes out of the improvement in school infrastructure or other aspects. As discussed, this
may come in the form of academic or extra curriculum. Academic performance becomes
crucial when the causal relationship between school infrastructure and student outcome is
to be studied (Duran-Narucki V., 2008). This may be done in the form of results achieved in
tests and exams (Cellini, S.R., Ferreira, 2012). Taking the case of India into account one of the
most crucial exams that takes place at a PAN India level, which happens to impact the further
education of various students is 12th standard board exams. Thus, in order to assess the
causal relationship between the student outcome and school infrastructure in terms of India,
results of 12th standard board examination are measured to account for student outcome.
