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Elder siblings are wiser and do better in academics than younger ones, a new study finds. The reason being stated in the study is that parents are harder on first borns.

The study performed by National Bureau for Economic Research in US found that the first-born children possessed higher IQs. They are also considered to be more accomplished by their parents as they are brought up more strictly in comparison to younger ones.

More than 33 per cent of the mothers claimed their first-born child among the brightest student in the class. Only around 1 per cent mothers put their first-born children among low performers.

In the survey, 31.8 per cent mothers believed their second born child was best in class. Around 29 per cent said the same for their third born child and 27.2 percent rated their fourth child in the top.

In the contrast, the ‘near the bottom of the class’ number increased as 2 per cent mothers rated their second the worst, 2.1 the third, and 3.6 fourth, reported Daily Mail.

According to the NBER paper, those mothers are right who reported treating their first child strictly.

With these findings the theory that school performance declines with birth order is supported once again. Younger siblings don’t feel the same parental pressure to perform academically as their elder brothers and sisters feel.

During the study, the main authors V. Joseph Hotz and Juan Pantano also found that parents were comparatively more involved in academic performance of their first born. They also are more likely to enforce strict rules and punishments on them.