Areas of Interest/Specialization:

Development Economics; Poverty Analysis; Inter - Social Group Disparities; Gender Issues; Labour and Employment Issues

Experience:

• Associate Professor, Department of Economics, North- Eastern Hill University, Shillong since March 22, 2017.
• Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, North- Eastern Hill University, Shillong since January 18, 2010.
• Assistant Professor, Department of Basic Sciences and Social Sciences, North- Eastern Hill University, Shillong from March 22, 2007 to January 18, 2010.
• Lecturer, Department of Economics, St. Anthony’s College, Shillong from May 15, 2002 to March 21, 2007.

Ph.D Awarded/ Supervised

• Ms. Rupa Bakor Kharshiing (awarded in September 2017)
• Ms. Anika Mary Wanhun Kshiar Shadap (awarded in August 2019)
• Ms. Pyallie D. Sangma (awarded in December 2019)
• Ms. Keziah Gangmei (awarded in April 2024)
• Mr. AibanskhemNongspung (awarded in November 2024)

Academic affiliations 

Life Member: (i) Indian Economic Association, (ii) Indian Society of Labour Economics 

Research Projects

• “Investigating Informal Entrepreneurship in Indian Slums with Satellite Data” (with Charlotta Sirén, University of St. Gallen and Amaresh Dubey, Jawaharlal Nehru University), an Indo-Swiss Joint Research Programme, implemented by the Swiss National Science Foundation and Indian Council of Social Science Research, February 2023 to January 2026.
• “Working Children in India: Dimensions from Periodic Labour Force Survey and Time Use Survey” (with Amaresh Dubey), Sponsor: International LabourOrganisation, 11 November 2022 – 10 February 2023.
• “Enumeration and Valuation of the Economic Impact of Female Labour in the Hills: A Study of Indian Himalayan Region”, A study assigned by NITI Aayog, conducted by the Consortium of Central Universities in the Himalayan States, Sponsor: University Grants Commission, New Delhi under the UGC-STRIDE scheme (April 2021 to February 2022).
•  “Levels of Living and Poverty among Socio-religious Groups in India: Analysis of the Correlates and Determinants at the Region Level” (With Anika M. W. K. Shadap), Sponsor: Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi, November 2015.
• “Gender Issues in Rural Meghalaya”, Sponsor: International Fund for Agricultural Development, Rome; June 2013.
• “Determinants of Post-Higher Secondary Enrolment in India during 1993-94 to 2009-10”, Sponsor: Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, New Delhi; January 2013.
• Co-ordinated the data collection process in Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland for the India Human Development Survey - II, 2012, conducted by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi and the University of Maryland, College Park, USA.
• Social Structure And Educational And Employment Achievements: A Study Of Disparities Across Different Social Groups In India during 1983 To 2009-10”, Sponsor: Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, New Delhi; December 2012.
• “Social Structure and Educational and Employment Achievements: A Study Of Disparities Across Different Social Groups In India during 1983 to 2004-05” (with Amaresh Dubey); Sponsor: Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, New Delhi; July 2011.
• “Determinants of Post-Higher Secondary Enrolment in India” (with Amaresh Dubey), Sponsor: University Grants Commission, November 2007.
•  “Social Structure and Educational and Employment Achievements: Study of Disparities across Different Social Groups in India” (with Amaresh Dubey), Sponsor: Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, New Delhi, March 2006.
• Co-ordinated the data collection process in the entire North Eastern Region including Sikkim for the India Human Development Survey - I, 2003-2007 conducted by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi and the University of Maryland, College Park, USA.
• Co-ordinated the data collection process in the state of Meghalaya for the National Survey on Household Income And Expenditure (2005) conducted by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi.
•  “Disparities in Consumption and Poverty among different Social Groups in India” (with Amaresh Dubey), Sponsor: The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, New Delhi, March 2004.
• “Labour Profile of the Northeastern States of India” (with Amaresh Dubey), Sponsor: V. V. Giri National Labour Institute, NOIDA, July 2003.

Publications

• Nongspung, A. & Pala, V. (2025). Heterogeneity in Returns to Education in India: A Quantile Regression Analysis, The Indian Journal of Labour Economics,Vol. 68, No. 3, pp. 983-1009.https://doi.org/10.1007/s41027-025-00567-z.
• Nongspung, A. & Pala, V. (2025). Self???Selection and Private Returns to Education in India: Evidence from NSSO Data, Journal of Quantitative Economics, Vol 23, No. 1, pp. 253–283; https://doi.org/10.1007/s40953-024-00430-w
• Pala, V., Thangkhiew, D.W. &Nongspung, A. (2024). Economic status, access to higher education and the role of the State, Indian Journal of Human Development, Vol. 18, No. 3, December, pp. 455-464. DOI: 10.1177/09737030241299262.
• Nongspung, A. & Pala, V. (2023). "Employment and wages of Scheduled Tribes in India: A Comparative Analysis of Recent Trends”, in Laloo, M. N. &Pariat, A. R. (Eds). Safeguarding Tribal Identity: Concept and Implications, Lakshi Publishers & Distributors, New Delhi, pp. 380-394.
• Pala, V. &Nongspung, A. (2022). “Trends in wages of regular wage employees and casual workers in Indian states, The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Vol. 65, No.3, pp. 667-687,https://doi.org/10.1007/s41027-022-00386-6
• Nongspung, A. & Pala, V. (2022). “Trends in employment and wages of Social Groups in India", Man and Development,Vol. XLIV No.1, March, pp. 1-16, ISSN 0258-0438.
• Pala, V. (2021). “The Role of Khasi-Pnar Women as Community Builders and Peace Makers” in Tula, M. & Ghosh, K. (eds).  Women and Peace Building: Perspectives from the Field, North Eastern Social Research Centre, Guwahati. ISBN: 9788195302420, pp. 165-175.
• Pala, V. &Gangmei, K. (2020). “Contribution of the Service Sector to Income and Employment in the North Eastern States of India”, Man and Society: A Journal of North-East Studies, Vol. XVII (Winter), pp. 133-146.
• Pala, V. (2019). “Social exclusion and poverty in India: The case for a more decentralized approach”, Indian Journal of Economics & Development, Vol. 7, No. 4, April.
• Pala, V. & Sangma,P. D. (2018). “Determinants of Women's Participation in Agriculture in India with special focus on the Role of Education”,International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research, Vol. 3, No.6, pp. 2771-2782.
• Shadap, A. M. W. K. & Pala, V. (2017). “Nutritional intake and consumption pattern in the states of Himachal Pradesh and Meghalaya”, The NEHU Journal, Vol. XV, No. 2, July-December, 2017, pp. 15-28.
• Pala, V. & Dubey, A. (2017). “Poverty and nutrition in the north eastern region of India”, in Mishra, Deepak K. and Upadhyay, Vandana. (eds.) Rethinking Economic Development in Northeast India: The Emerging Dynamics, Routledge, London and New York, pp. 97-135.
• Fernandes, W., Pala, V., Bharali, G. & Dutta, B. (2016), The Development Dilemma: Displacement in Meghalaya 1947-2010, North Eastern Social Research Centre, Guwahati. ISBN-9788189762568
• “Unequal Access to Water: Implications for Poverty and Educational Attainment”, in Proceedings of the International Conference on Water Resource Management in the Eastern Himalayan Region, St. Anthony’s College, Shillong, (2016), ISBN-978-81-910147-4-7, pp. 141-150.
• “Trends and Patterns of Migration in the North Eastern Region of India” (with IbalariPhylla Khongjoh), in Nongrum, K. and Warjri, A. P. (eds.) Human Migration in South Asia: Dynamics and Implications, Akansha Publishing House, New Delhi (2016), ISBN: 978-81-837047-4-8, pp. 8-38.
• “Government Educational Incentives and Enrolment in Indian States”, (with Rupa Bakor Kharshiing), International Journal of Economic and Business Review, Vol. 4, No. 2, February 2016, pp. 101-113.
• “Poverty Reduction and Structural Changes in Indian States: The First Dozen Years of the New Millennium”, The Indian Economic Journal, Special Issue on Income and Wealth Inequalities and their Relation with Social Class, December 2015, pp. 63-78.
• “Rights and Responsibilities of Tribal Women at Home and Work in Rural Meghalaya”, Man and Society: A Journal of North-East Studies, Vol. XII, Summer 2015, pp.160-175.
• “Combating Child Labour: The Need for a Holistic Approach”, The NEHU Journal, Vol. XII, No. 2, July-December, 2014, pp. 27-40.
• "Calorie Deficiency among Scheduled Tribes in the North-Eastern Region of India” (with IbalariPhylla Khongjoh), in Nathan, Dev and Xaxa, Virginius (eds.), Social Exclusion and Adverse Inclusion: Development and Deprivation of Adivasis in India, Institute for Human Development and Oxford University Press, New Delhi, (2012), ISBN-13: 978-0-19-807893-7, ISBN-10: 0-19-807893-5, pp. 286-309.
• “Human Development: Concept and Measurement”, chapter II of the Meghalaya Human Development Report 2008, Planning Department, Government of Meghalaya, Shillong, pp. 17-30, (2009).
• “Income, Employment and Unemployment in Meghalaya” (with Minakshi Chakraborty and Smita Das), chapter VI of the Meghalaya Human Development Report 2008, Planning Department, Government of Meghalaya, Shillong, pp. 125-160, (2009).
• “Social Sector in Meghalaya” (with Shreeranjan),  chapter XI of the Meghalaya State Development Report, 2008-09, Planning Department, Government of Meghalaya, Shillong, pp. 347-396, (2009).
• “Labour and Employment”, chapter XII of the Meghalaya State Development Report, 2008-09, Planning Department, Government of Meghalaya, Shillong, pp. 397-417, (2009).
• “Role of Christianity in Fostering Literacy and Education in Northeastern Region: Statistical Evidence” (with Amaresh Dubey) in Subba, T. B., J. Puthenpurakal and S. J. Puykunnel (eds.) Christianity and Change in Northeast India, Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi, pp. 63-92, (2009), ISBN 81-8069-447-X.
• “The Non-farm Sector in the Rural North- Eastern Region of India: Some Correlates and Determinants” (with Smita Das and Amaresh Dubey), Manpower Journal, Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 51-72, April-June, (2007).
• "Migration in the North- Eastern Region of India: Some Issues" (with Amaresh Dubey and Smita Das) in Dubey, Amaresh, M. Satish Kumar, N. Srivastava and E. D. Thomas (eds.) Globalisation and North- East India, Standard Publishers, New Delhi, pp. 55-92, (2007), ISBN 81-87471-39-5.
• "The Employment Situation in the North- Eastern Region Of India: A Gender Perspective" (with Amaresh Dubey and Smita Das) in Dubey, Amaresh, M. Satish Kumar, N. Srivastava and E. D. Thomas (eds.) Globalisation and North- East India, Standard Publishers, New Delhi, pp. 115-146, (2007), ISBN 81-87471-39-5.
• "The Non-farm Sector in the Rural North- Eastern Region of India: Some Correlates and Determinants" (with Amaresh Dubey and Smita Das) in Dubey, Amaresh, M. Satish Kumar, N. Srivastava and E. D. Thomas (eds.) Globalisation and North- East India, Standard Publishers, New Delhi, pp. 147-170, (2007), ISBN 81-87471-39-5.
• “The Employment Situation in the North-Eastern Region of India: A Gender Perspective” (with Smita Das, Amaresh Dubey and Eugene D. Thomas), Manpower Journal (Special Issue on North East), Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 151-170, April-June, (2006).
• “Labour in the Unorganised Sector” (with Amaresh Dubey) in Debroy, Bibek and Kaushik, P. D.  (eds.) Reforming Labour Market, Academic Foundation, New Delhi, pp. 337-377, (2005).
• “Economic Liberalisation and Female Labour Force Participation Rate” (with Amaresh Dubey and E. D. Thomas) in Debroy, Bibek and Kaushik, P. D. (eds.) Reforming Labour Market, Academic Foundation, New Delhi, pp. 379-396, (2005).
• “Workforce Participation of Women in Rural India: The Role of Education” (with Amaresh Dubey and Eugene D. Thomas), TheIndian Journal of Labour Economics, Vol. 47 No. 4, pp. 749-760, (2004).
• “Education and Participation of Women in the Labour Force: Evidence from Indian Micro Data” (with Amaresh Dubey and M. Satish Kumar), in Proceedings of the First International Manas University Conference in Economics, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, pp. 157-179, (2004).
• “Labour Mobility: Evidence from Northeastern Region of India” (with Smita Das and Amaresh Dubey), Labour and Development, Vol. 9, No.2, pp. 196-222, (2003).
• “Non-farm Employment and Decline in Rural Poverty in India: An Exploratory Exercise” (with Smita Das and Amaresh Dubey), Manpower Journal, Vol. 38, Nos. 2&3, pp. 49-73, July-December, (2002).