Fertility and birth rates in India persist in their decline

Main Takeaways From the 2023 Report

Variations in CBR and TFR by State:

Crude Birth Rate (CBR): Decreased from 19.1 in 2022 to 18.4 in 2023, indicating a 0.7-point drop.

The highest rate in Bihar is 25.8 and the lowest in Tamil Nadu is 12.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR): Decreased to 1.9 in 2023, following a stable rate of 2.0 in both 2021 and 2022.

This marks the initial drop in TFR in two years, taking India further beneath the replacement fertility threshold of 2.1 children per woman.

Bihar has the highest TFR (2.8) while Delhi has the lowest TFR (1.2).

Trends in Mortality:

Crude Death Rate (CDR): Decreased from 6.8 in 2022 to 6.4 in 2023.

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Decreased to 25 in 2023, showing a one-point reduction from 2022 and a seven-point drop in five years.

One out of every 40 babies passes away before reaching their first birthday.

Increasing Senior Demographic:

The share of the elderly (aged 60+) rose by 0.7 percentage points, achieving 9.7% of the overall population in 2023, reflecting a slow transition towards an ageing population.

Kerala has the highest proportion of elderly people at 15%.

Least elderly proportion: Assam (7.6%), Delhi (7.7%), and Jharkhand (7.6%)

Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB):

National SRB: 917 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2023, showing a three-point increase compared to the earlier period.

Top SRB: Chhattisgarh (974), Kerala (971)

Lowest SRB: Uttarakhand (868)

Nonetheless, Bihar, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Haryana continue to be among the States and UTs having SRBs under 900. Bihar’s SRB keeps decreasing, dropping from 964 in 2020 to 897 in 2023.

Key Insights From the 2023 Report

State Variations in CBR and TFR:

Crude Birth Rate (CBR): Fell from 19.1 in 2022 to 18.4 in 2023, showing a 0.7-point decrease.

Bihar has the highest rate at 25.8, while Tamil Nadu has the lowest at 12.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR): Reduced to 1.9 in 2023, after maintaining a stable rate of 2.0 in 2021 and 2022.

This represents the first decline in TFR in two years, pushing India further below the replacement fertility level of 2.1 children per woman.

Bihar records the highest TFR at 2.8, whereas Delhi has the lowest TFR at 1.2.

Trends in Death Rates:

Crude Death Rate (CDR): Fell from 6.8 in 2022 to 6.4 in 2023.

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Reduced to 25 in 2023, indicating a decrease of one point since 2022 and a decline of seven points over five years.

One in every 40 infants dies before they celebrate their first birthday.

Growing Elderly Population:

The proportion of seniors (aged 60+) increased by 0.7 percentage points, reaching 9.7% of the total population in 2023, indicating a gradual shift towards an aging demographic.

Kerala possesses the largest percentage of senior citizens at 15%.

Lowest elderly percentages: Assam (7.6%), Delhi (7.7%), and Jharkhand (7.6%)

Ratio of Males to Females at Birth (RMFB):

National SRB: 917 females for every 1,000 males in 2023, reflecting a three-point rise from the previous period.

Top SRB: Kerala (971), Chhattisgarh (974)

Lowest SRB: Uttarakhand (868)

Regardless, Bihar, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Haryana remain among the States and UTs with SRBs below 900. Bihar’s SRB continues to decline, falling from 964 in 2020 to 897 in 2023.