REEM ASHRAF
Delhi
Summary
Development economist with a strong track record of leading high-impact, policy-oriented projects at national and international levels sponsored by NITI Aayog (formerly known as the Planning Commission of India), the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, UNICEF, and various state governments. Expertise spans public policy, poverty and inequality, gender, labor markets, human development, and the SDGs. Skilled in grant writing, project management, and implementation. Research published in Scopus-indexed and peer-reviewed journals, with contributions to media and presentations at esteemed international conferences, including the Population Association of America.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
CONSULTANT ECONOMIST
CONVEGINIOUS
02.2025 - Current
- To evaluate Centrally Sponsored Schemes in Education and conduct a Sector Review for the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office, NITI Aayog, Government of India, based on primary and secondary data sources.
- The focus of the analysis is to assess inequality, efficiency, relevance, sustainability, impact, and equity.
- Review and finalization of the reports and policy briefs.
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
MONASH UNIVERSITY, Malaysia
06.2023 - 03.2024
- Conceptualized women's leadership and female labor force participation in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the MENA region for a UNESCO Global Monitoring Report on Leadership, Governance, and Gender, 2025. Refer to https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000391683
- The research involved a desk review and analysis of secondary and administrative data across three key development phases: pre-MDG, MDG, and the SDG.
- Co-authored a peer-reviewed paper for a Scopus-indexed edited book (refer to the publication section).
RESEARCH CONSULTANT
NATIONAL DATA INNOVATION CENTRE, NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR APPLIED ECONOMIC RESEARCH
New Delhi
11.2019 - 04.2020
1. India Human Development Survey Phase 3 (III) led by the University of Maryland, NCAER, Indiana University, and the University of Michigan.
- I co-developed survey modules for 41,554 households across 1,503 villages and 971 urban neighborhoods on gender (mental and reproductive health, gender-based violence, property rights, cultural beliefs, autonomy, and agency), poverty, education, employment, time use, health, and COVID-19-related socio-economic disruptions.
- Contributed to technological innovations in survey implementation, including remote monitoring, and adaptive questionnaire design.
2. The Delhi Metropolitan Area Study (DMAS)
- I led methodological experiments in the Delhi National Capital Region, covering 31 districts and 5,253 households, to refine data collection techniques for enhanced policy relevance.
- Designed RCTs for gender-focused experiments, particularly on contraception use, employing ACASI, and CAPI methodologies.
- Co-authored policy briefs, working papers, and media articles.
3. Delhi NCR Coronavirus Telephonic Survey
- Leveraged India's expanding mobile phone network to conduct CATI-based assessments, capturing shifts in knowledge, attitudes, income, social interactions, and education disruptions during COVID-19.
ASSISTANT MANAGER
IPE GLOBAL LTD.
New Delhi
10.2017 - 11.2019
Led business development, wrote winning grant proposals, project implementation, and managed national and international high-impact policy projects.
1. PROJECT MANAGER | UNICEF UZBEKISTAN - Studies on Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (Approx. Value: $133,000) (Dec 2018 - Nov 2019)
- Wrote a winning grant proposal for two UNICEF Uzbekistan studies on Early Childhood Education, Community Participation in School Decision-Making, Disaster Risk Reduction in Education, and Behaviour Change Communication Strategies.
- I led the project as manager and principal researcher, overseeing all aspects of project development, including team recruitment, budget management, and stakeholder coordination with UNICEF Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education, and other partners.
- Designed and managed a large-scale study covering 4,800 rural and urban households for early childhood care and education.
- Developed baseline indicators and a behavior change communication strategy, along with survey modules on community participation in school management and decision-making, to enhance education quality.
- Trained field enumerators, supervised field surveys, and ensured data quality monitoring in Uzbek and Russian.
2. Senior Researcher and Assistant Manager |Asian Development Bank & Government of Meghalaya Project – Supporting Human Capital Development in Meghalaya (Approx. Value: $577,761 (Oct 2017 - May 2019)
- The research benefited 3,500 teachers and head teachers, indirectly impacting approximately 100,000 students as part of a larger initiative to support youth, human capital formation in the state.
- Led the research and management team, overseeing the training of 3,600 school professionals in 21st-century teaching and learning skills, benefiting hundreds of thousands of secondary students.
- Conceptualized and developed research tools, designed teacher capability development modules, and co-authored policy briefs and reports.
3. SENIOR RESEARCHER |EdCIL (India) Limited and Govt of Meghalaya Project - Review and Research of the Education Sector: Improving Quality of Education Outcomes (Approx. Value: $133,000) (Dec 2017 - Oct 2018)
- In a state with a high indigenous population, I led the research to deliver policy-level restructuring of the education sector, potentially impacting over 200,000 students and numerous teachers in government and aided institutions.
- Developing the State Education Policy, service rules for aided schools and colleges, curriculum for the 21st century, and regulatory framework for private universities and colleges.
4. RESEARCHER | State Govt. of Odisha - Concurrent Evaluation of Learning Achievement in Elementary Schools (Dec 2017 - Oct 2018).
- Conducted quality and process monitoring to ensure minimum learning achievement for students from economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Led policy research on improving learning outcomes for elementary students in underdeveloped regions with a high indigenous population.
- Provided policy recommendations to enhance educational equity across socio-economic groups.
5. RESEARCHER | NITI Aayog, Govt. of India - School Education Quality Index (SEQI): Performing validation and analysis of key performance indicators (KPIs) (Nov 2017 - Jan 2018)
- Performing validation, analysis of KPIs to strengthened the School Education Quality Index for states and union territories in India.
- Contributed to the review, analysis, and verification of Key Performance Indicators and provided inputs on SEQI's design and methodology for all 28 states and 8 Union Territories in India.
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION, GOVT. OF INDIA
New Delhi
08.2013 - 10.2015
- Developed an Index on Service Sector Production in Education using secondary data on school and higher education.
- Co-authored interim, and the final report.
RESEARCH CONSULTANT
MOTT MACDONALD
08.2014 - 11.2014
World Bank and DFID - Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan - Technical Cooperation Agency for Universalisation of Secondary Education in India
- Synthesised literature review on effectiveness, efficiency, and equity in education focusing South Asia.
Education
PH.D. - ECONOMICS
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY
11.2018
M.PHIL - ECONOMICS
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY
01.2013
M.A. - ECONOMICS
ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY
01.2010
B.A. - ECONOMICS
ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY, Krea University, Asadullah — Malaysia School of Business
01.2008
Skills
1 Grant by UNICEF, Uzbekistan, for two studies on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices, during tenure at IPE Global Ltd, (2018-2019); Grant Value $133,00
(i) Parents' Demand for Early Childhood Care and Education Services in Uzbekistan and Develop Related Behaviour Change Communication Strategies
(ii) Community Participation in School Decision-Making in Uzbekistan and Develop Related Behaviour Change Communication Strategies
2 National Merit Fellowship for MPhil and PhD by the University Grant Commission (2012-2016), Grant Value $17,500
3 Travel grant for the Summer School on Measuring Human Development and Capabilities, and the 15th Human Development and Capability Association Conference, Tokyo, Japan (2016), Grant Value: $500
4 Student bursary from the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation for a three-day training, "Executive Education Course on Evaluating Social Programs," by J-PAL South Asia (2019); Grant value: $200
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1. Guest Faculty |ASEAN Human Development Organization, Singapore (2024 – continued)
I take the course on Human Development Measurement as a part of the Human Development Certification Programme for Industry Leaders in Human Resources at the ASEAN Human Development Organisation, Singapore
2. Teaching Assistant |School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India (2014-2016)
I taught two courses with Prof. Binod Khadria to higher research degree students
(i) Law and Governance in Education
(ii) Migration and Skilled Diaspora
PUBLICATIONS
- (Forthcoming) Employment and Gender Equity: Interactions and Interlinkages Between SDGs 4, 5 and 8 co-authored with M Niaz Asadullah, Kazi Mukitul Islam and Uma Kambhampati, in Swain and Dobers (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of the UN Sustainable Development Goals – Research and Policy SDG Handbook, Routledge
- (Forthcoming) Ashraf. (n.d.). Children's time use and digital learning amidst COVID-19: Patterns of learning engagement In T. Tripathi & HSK. Nathan (Eds.), Human Development, Inclusion and Equity: Applying the Capability Approach. Routledge | Taylor & Francis Group, Singapore
- (Forthcoming) Tripathi, & Ashraf. (n.d.). COVID-19 and Exclusion in Context of Sanitisation and Plausibility of Public Policy. In T. Tripathi & HSK. Nathan (Eds.), Human Development, Inclusion and Equity: Applying the Capability Approach. Routledge | Taylor & Francis Group, Singapore
- Banerji, & Ashraf. (2022, August). Learning disruptions during COVID: Findings from a survey in the National Capital Region. CHILDREN FIRST JOURNAL ON CHILDREN’S LIVES, 2(Issue 1), 28–38. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZAV0Ui_nLKXdJovuhWJhnetTqxEaHz4w/view
- Pramanik, Deshmukh, Chouhan, Banerji, Ashraf, Tiwari, & Desai. (2022, March 1). Coverage and Nonresponse Bias in Telephone Surveys during the COVID-19 Lockdown. NCAER’s Working Paper Series, Working Paper No.: WP 136. https://www.ncaer.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1649400051NCAER-WP-136.pdf
- Binod Khadria & Narender Thakur & Reem Ashraf, December 2016. “India’s Human Capital in Gen-Y and -Z: Constructs of an Index of Service Production in Education” Research Report 47, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Youth Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia
NEWSPAPER AND BLOGS
- Ashraf. (2024, January 23). Understanding the Disconnect between Experienced and Reported Abuse in India. Centre for Development, Economics, and Sustainability, Monash University Retrieved January 29, 2024, from https://www.cdesblog.com/post/understanding-the-disconnect-between-experienced-and-reported-abuse-in-India
- Banerji, Ashraf, & Desai. (2021, February 20) India needs a strategy to overcome the learning deficiencies induced by school closures due to COVID-19.. The Economic Times Retrieved January 15, 2024, from https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/view-india-needs-a-strategy-to-overcome-the-learning-deficiencies-induced-by-school/articleshow/81115833.cms?from=mdr
- Reem Ashraf, December 29th, 2018. “Breaking the Deadlock: Educational Resilience in Mawsynram” The Shillong Times, Sunday Pullout.
PEER-REVIEWED CONFERENCES
- International Conference on Family Planning, Pattaya, Thailand, 14th-17th Nov 2022 “Is Collecting Data through ACASI on Sensitive topics an Effective Method? A Methodological Experiment among Women in North India”. (virtual)
- Human Development and Capability Association Conference, Sofia, Bulgaria, September 11th-13th, 2022: “Role of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Shaping Health Capabilities of Individuals during the Pandemic in India” Reem Ashraf and Tulika Tripathi. And 'On the Margins of Health Capabilities: COVID-19 and Exclusion in the Context of Sanitization and the Plausibility of Public Policy' Tulika Tripathi and Reem Ashraf. (virtual)
- Population Association of America, Atlanta, Georgia, United State of America, 6th – 9th Apr 2022 “Using Audio-Computer Assisted Self-interview (ACASI) for Collecting Data on Contraceptive Use: Culturally Responsive Design, Challenges, and Key Takeaways”. as primary author (virtual)
- Population Association of America, St. Louis, United State of America, 5th – 8th May 2021 “Access to Digital Education on and Learning in the Times of COVID-19: A Latent Class Analysis”. with Santanu Pramanik and Sonalde Desai (virtual)
- Human Development and Capability Association Conference, London, United Kingdom, 9th-11th Sept 2019 “Inequality and Consequential Well-being of the Disadvantaged Children in India: Magnitude and Shift Post Right to Education in India”
- 15th Annual Meeting of International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, Innsbruck, Austria, 28th – 30th Sept 2017 “Well-being of Disadvantaged Children in Elementary Education in Private Schools as result of School Choice”
- Human Development and Capability Association Conference, Cape Town, South Africa, 6th – 8th Sept 2017, “School Choice and Evolving Capability in Elementary Education in India” and "Inequalities in Private Expenditure in Schooling Amidst Universalization of Secondary Education in India," jointly with Manik Tiwary, Banaras Hindu University, India
- Human Development and Capability Association Conference, Tokyo, Japan 1st – 3rd Sept 2016.“An Analysis of Children Well-Being as a Result of State Intervention in Elementary Education: A study with Special Reference to Uttar Pradesh”
INVITED TALKS/LECTURES
- National Commission for Women, Government of India hosted by Central University of Gujarat, “Research design and survey focusing gender and leadership” 12 Jan 2024
- Centre for Education and International Development, University College London, “Ethics, Sustainability, and Decolonization, focusing on education in Africa and India,” 5 Sept 2019
- BBC Urdu India, Delhi “Post Election outlook for the Education Sector”, 23 May 2019
PEER REVIEWER
- Review of Development and Change (SAGE) and International Journal for Rural Development (SAGE)
REFERENCES
1. Santanu Pramanik, Research Director, Krea University, Delhi, India santanu.pramanik@gmail.com
2. Professor Niaz Asadullah, Southeast Asia Lead, the Global Labor Organization and Visiting Professor of Economics at the University of Reading, UK
m.asadullah@reading.ac.uk
Timeline
CONSULTANT ECONOMIST
CONVEGINIOUS
02.2025 - Current
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
MONASH UNIVERSITY, Malaysia
06.2023 - 03.2024
RESEARCH CONSULTANT
NATIONAL DATA INNOVATION CENTRE, NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR APPLIED ECONOMIC RESEARCH
11.2019 - 04.2020
ASSISTANT MANAGER
IPE GLOBAL LTD.
10.2017 - 11.2019
RESEARCH CONSULTANT
MOTT MACDONALD
08.2014 - 11.2014
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION, GOVT. OF INDIA
08.2013 - 10.2015
PH.D. - ECONOMICS
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY
M.PHIL - ECONOMICS
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY
M.A. - ECONOMICS
ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY
B.A. - ECONOMICS
ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY, Krea University, Asadullah — Malaysia School of Business
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