Factors affecting network formation among students at IIMA

Abstract

Networks are of great importance in an educational institution due to various advantages they offer. Networks formed at an educational institution are influenced by a vast multitude of factors including, but not limited to, gender, educational background, ethnicity, and interests. In this project, we try to understand the factors influencing network formation in educational institutes and the impact of such networks on political outcomes such as university elections. Based on our analysis of centrality measures, we obtained a decent accuracy in predicting outcomes of elections. Further, we found that the programme of study, class sections, study groups and gender are the most prominent factors which impact the formation of networks in an educational institute.