Can Inter-caste marriages Reduce Economic Inequalities in Child Nutrition in India? Evidence from Triangulation of Cross-sectional and Panel Data Analyses

Endogamous marriages in India reflect a socially segregated society based on religion and caste,perpetuating the existing social stratification and inequalities. Caste endogamy contributes to the unequaltransfer of social capital and social endowments, thereby reproducing inequalities within and acrossgenerations. In this background, the study examined the question of whether Inter-caste marriagescontribute to reducing economic inequality in children’s nutrition. We triangulated analyses based onpooled microdata and macro-panel data compiled from the National Family Health Survey and otherGovernment surveys (2005-2021). The Wagstaff’s corrected concentration index, panel data randomeffects regression models, and pooled cross-sectional probit regression model have been used. Findingssuggest the continued prevalence of caste-based assortative sorting in the Indian marriage market andwealth-based inequalities in child nutritional status, thereby indicating both strong caste endogamy andhealth inequalities. However, an increase in Inter-caste marriage is associated with declining inequalitiesin the child nutrition indicators: stunting, wasting, and underweight. The pathway is established throughthe reduced economic heterogeneity in populations owing to inter-caste marital arrangements and agreater possibility of exchange of resources. Thus, we advance that Inter-caste marriages lessen casteinequalities in child nutrition in India by narrowing group differences in socio-economic status.