Indias declining birth rate sparks concerns over population growth and future prospects

India’s Total Fertility Rate Drops Below Benchmark Level

The total fertility rate (TFR) in India has decreased to 1.9 children per woman, falling below the benchmark level of 2.1 required to sustain the country’s current population levels.

According to data from the Sample Registration System (SRS), a demographic survey conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India’s TFR has been declining over the past few years. The latest SRS report shows that the reproduction rate in the country is now lower than previously thought, with experts attributing this decline to improved access to education and contraceptives.

Jyotsna Mirlay, a consultant gynaecologist in Bengaluru, notes that higher levels of education and globalization have led to a shift in societal narratives around marriage and children. “Today’s young women are less likely to buy into traditional messages about the importance of marriage and children,” she says. “They are more empowered due to education and have financial freedom, giving them a choice to decide if they want to have children.”

Many young people across India are now choosing to have fewer children or not to have children at all. Nidhi Agarwal, 41, and her partner made the decision not to have children after marriage, citing their desire to focus on their careers and build companies that could have a bigger impact on society.

Shweta Luthra, a Bengaluru-based human rights lawyer, also chose not to prioritize having children when she married at age 23. However, she did decide to have her son later in life, as it made her family and partner happy.

The decline in India’s TFR has significant implications for the country’s population growth and development. Experts will continue to monitor this trend and assess its impact on the country’s future.

Source: Al Jazeera