J-PAL South Asia

So, you’ve decided to conduct an impact evaluation of your program. What are some technical considerations in commissioning a feasible, credible, and useful evaluation? Learn more in CLEAR South Asia/J-PAL South Asia's Impact Evaluability Toolkit: https://j-p.al/IEtoolkit #monitoring #evaluation #toolkit #impact #resource

J-PAL South Asia’s focus on informing policy through locally grounded research is bolstered by systematic efforts to reduce hurdles faced by academics and researchers in India. Over the next few weeks, we’re excited to feature researchers from our Indian Scholars Program, which seeks to further expand our network of Indian researchers leading rigorous, policy-relevant randomized evaluations in the country. As we wrap up the second edition of ISP, meet our 21 #scholars from the 2021 and 2023 cohorts and learn about their exciting evaluations across Gender, Health, and Climate Change! The Indian Scholars Program supports early-to-mid-career researchers in India by providing research funding through competitive grants, technical skill-building programs, mentorship, and networking opportunities. Learn more about the ISP here: https://j-p.al/isp

Exciting News! 🎉 We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, to bring scientifically-proven clean water solutions to millions across India! On October 25, an MoU was signed by Shri Y.K. Singh, Director, Jal Jeevan Mission(JJM) and Shobhini Mukerji, Executive Director, J-PAL South Asia. Smt. Vini Mahajan, Secretary, DDWS, and other key government officials were also present at the signing. Through this collaboration, J-PAL South Asia will work alongside DDWS to design, test, and scale policies that tackle water pollution. This will also help DDWS strengthen programs like JJM and launch new, evidence-based initiatives using insights from J-PAL South Asia’s global network of researchers. This partnership is under the auspices of Solutions and Advancements Through Research for Air and Water (SARWA). SARWA is part of the Air and Water Labs, launched by Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) in collaboration with Community Jameel in 2023 to improve clean air and water access globally by scaling up effective programs. Read more: https://j-p.al/ado Together, we aim to pave the way for a cleaner, healthier future for all. #CleanWater Shobhini Mukerji | Sharanya Chandran | Sanjana Gorti | Juhi Chacko | Shyam Sundar Sridhar | Dakshta Ahlawat

Today, Parikrama Chowdhry, Lead, Policy at J-PAL South Asia, spoke at the The World Bank’s Social Justice Seminar Series, co-hosted by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, GOI. She shared insights on the Satat Jeevikoparjan Yojana (SJY), which has reached 162,000 women-headed households in Bihar, making it one of the largest government-led scale-ups of the Graduation Approach. This evidence-driven initiative empowers ultra-poor households to escape poverty through sustainable economic inclusion. Learn more about the Graduation Approach and SJY here: https://j-p.al/1w6 #GoingtheLastMile

📚 J-PAL affiliated professors Daron Acemoglu, James A. Robinson, and colleague Simon Johnson are this year’s Nobel laureates in Economics for their contributions to understanding institutions and development. We'll be featuring some of their RCT work throughout the week. To start us off, take a look at Daron and coauthors' recent work, Voter Learning and Support for Democratic Institutions, which sheds light on how voters’ experiences influence their support for democratic governance, providing insights into institutional dynamics. Read more: https://lnkd.in/d28K_7Ep #NobelPrize

🚨 48 hours to go! 🚨 It’s your last chance to apply for J-PAL/CLEAR South Asia’s Evaluating Social Programs 2024 and explore the use of monitoring and evaluation to drive sustainable social impact at scale! Join us in Bengaluru, India, from Dec 11 -13 for a jam-packed series of immersive workshops, case studies, and panel discussions with an incredible line-up of speakers and learn how to make informed and data-driven decisions with evidence from rigorous evaluations. Apply NOW: https://linktr.ee/esp24

We're #hiring! Are you looking for a career at the intersection of development economics, research, and evidence-based policymaking in India? Check out these open positions ⤵️ ➡️ Policy Manager - Health (Sector Lead) to support our Health sector in promoting evidence-informed policy, increasing access to quality health services, and improving health outcomes. This role will involve working closely with government, civil society, and donor partners and require regular stakeholder engagement. Candidates should have a Master’s degree, 4+ years of relevant experience, and fluency in English (an Indian language is preferred). Apply: https://j-p.al/ozv ➡️ Policy Associate - Health to support the Health sector by assisting in the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of evidence and initiating new randomized evaluations. This role will involve government and donor engagement, preparing policy notes, and contributing to the health sector strategy. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree (Master’s degree preferred) with 0-2 years of experience and a strong interest in public health and impact evaluations. Apply: https://j-p.al/70a90c ➡️ ASPIRE Fellow for a priority position with the Department of Education in Karnataka. As a fellow, you will oversee stakeholder management, share project insights with government officials, and contribute to strengthening government and NGO capacities. The role requires the candidate to be based in Bangalore. Candidates should have 5+ years of experience in education policy or evaluation. Oral and written fluency in English and Kannada is mandatory. Apply: https://lnkd.in/giKp3JVh ➡️ Research Associate on a project studying the effectiveness of the School Leadership Development Program in building leadership competencies amongst school leaders and improving student learning outcomes in primary and secondary schools. Sample schools are located in Raichur and Bidar districts of Karnataka. You will support intervention monitoring, design, and pilot survey instruments, manage field and data teams, and lead and supervise data collection in rural and semi-urban settings. Apply: https://j-p.al/ae523b #ResearchJobs #JobOpenings #PolicyJobs

Congratulations to J-PAL affiliated professors Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson and co-recipient Simon Johnson for winning this year’s Nobel Prize in Economics! We are honored to have Daron and James as part of our research network. Their groundbreaking work, alongside fellow laureate Simon Johnson, has helped shape our understanding of institutions, inequality, and economic growth. And their impactful research spans an impressive (and growing!) body of RCT research—stay tuned this week as we dig into some of their contributions.

#InternationalDayofRuralWomen | What does it take to truly reach the last mile of rural communities? In Bihar, a cadre of 5,000 Master Resource Persons (MRPs) is key to, implementing the Government of Bihar’s Satat Jeevikoparjan Yojana (SJY), an adaptation of the Graduation Approach, in some of the state’s most remote corners. Graduation Approach is a holistic livelihoods program developed by NGO BRAC. Randomized evaluations by J-PAL affiliated researchers across seven countries found the program to be effective in lifting the poorest of the poor households out of extreme poverty and setting them up for a better life. The model has been adapted by the Government of Bihar with SJY, aiming to reach 200,000 households in 2024 and is being adapted by the Ministry of Rural Development, GoI (MoRD)’s ‘Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojana’ to provide inclusive livelihoods to women. As local champions MRPs in Bihar, bridge the gap between evidence-based programs and the communities they serve. By adapting to local needs, they ensure that rural women have access to knowledge, resources, and support systems—bringing tailored solutions directly to them. “It’s not just about the enterprise, but also about understanding participants on a personal level,” shared an MRP. “I discuss their joys, sorrows, and everything in between.” The team at J-PAL South Asia spoke with MRPs to learn more about their experiences on the ground. In this blog, Neha Jacob, Manzer ., and Parikrama Chowdhry explore how these frontline workers, in collaboration with the JEEVIKA, Rural Development Department, Government of Bihar, have become a powerful force in taking evidence-backed solutions to the last mile. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gJkPQuYB

How can rigorous evaluations drive social impact? Learn directly from experts in the field - and build an in-depth understanding of how evidence can be used to drive sustainable growth. We're very excited to introduce our distinguished speakers who will be joining us from around the world in Bengaluru for Evaluating Social Programs 2024! ⏱️ It's your last chance to apply! Applications close on October 20.  🔗 Learn more: https://linktr.ee/esp24