The impact of state capacity on education

Abstract: This thesis investigates whether state capacity furthers a country’s educational goals by scrutinising the effects of state capacity on the literacy rate in India. This is fundamentally studied through the theories of good governance and state capacity. Further, data from the Quality of Government between 1984-2011 and literacy rate between 1981-2011 are observed to discover whether state capacity and literacy rate are connected. The Quality of Government assesses corruption, bureaucratic quality, law, and order. Likewise, policies connected to these measurements, as well as others, are examined to discover their impact on education. Ultimately, it is discovered that state capacity and literacy rate are strongly connected, although there is significantly different measuring periods and limited measurements of state capacity. Thus, this may vary if other measurements are used. Nonetheless, state capacity is observed to have a significant impact on education by its theories and the policies implemented in India.