Information Search Among High School Students in India

In systems with early academic tracking, decisions made during adolescence shape learning trajectories and labor market opportunities. In India, students choose an academic stream and junior college at the end of Grade 10, largely determining curriculum rigor and persistence in further education. These choices are especially consequential for girls, as gender norms and informational constraints interact to restrict access to higher-return pathways and exacerbate existing inequalities. Despite the high stakes, baseline data from 2,341 students across 72 schools in Maharashtra reveal substantial information gaps: only 50% could name even one junior college, and just 25% correctly identified that admission cutoffs vary by social category. Critically, the issue is not information access – most relevant information is publicly available – but behavioral frictions prevent active search. This randomized evaluation tests whether a low-cost, classroom-based intervention that encourages active information search improves educational outcomes. Treated students complete an information-search activity identifying feasible junior college-stream combinations based on eligibility criteria, reinforced by an incentivized quiz. Outcomes include Grade 10 exam performance, junior college-stream choice, and admission outcomes. Implemented by Lend A Hand India, this study generates scalable, policy-relevant evidence on whether reducing search frictions can narrow gender gaps in access to higher-return pathways.