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arXiv · 2508.12471

Do High-Premium Fields Buffer Labor Market Shocks? Evidence from India

Jheelum Sarkar
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Abstract

Do high-return fields of study provide greater protection in labor market during crises? I construct pre-pandemic premia for major technical fields in India and examine whether workers in higher field-premium fields experience resilient labor market outcomes during COVID-19. Using a difference-in-difference with continuous treatment design, I find that field-premium advantages did not emerge immediately at the onset of the pandemic but through gradual adjustment during later phases.

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Jheelum Sarkar. 2025-08-17. Do High-Premium Fields Buffer Labor Market Shocks? Evidence from India. https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.12471

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