Both, either, or neither? Taste-based and statistical discrimination in personal loan applications

Saibal Ghosh (1)
(1) Qatar Central Bank, Qatar

Abstract

Using cross-sectional data on over 51,000 individuals from a large public sector bank in India, we examine the determinants of loan rejection. The findings indicate that females with high credit scores are less likely to be rejected, suggesting evidence of favourable treatment. Additionally, applicants with higher incomes are less likely to face rejection, highlighting the presence of statistical discrimination. Various robustness checks support these conclusions. The paper concludes with policy implications drawn from the analysis.

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Authors

Saibal Ghosh
emailsaibal@gmail.com (Primary Contact)
Author Biography

Saibal Ghosh, Qatar Central Bank

Saibal Ghosh worked at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Indian central bank, for two decades. In his final stint, he was Deputy Research Adviser at the Centre for Advanced Financial Research and Learning (CAFRAL), Mumbai, India. He has over 25 years of experience in financial intermediation, financial stability and developmental issues. His research has been extensively published in leading international and national journals. He is presently working as Expert (Adviser) in the Executive Office at Qatar Central Bank in Doha, Qatar.

Ghosh, S. (2025). Both, either, or neither? Taste-based and statistical discrimination in personal loan applications. Modern Finance, 3(4), 66–79. https://doi.org/10.61351/mf.v3i4.415

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