Over 99% of births, deaths registered in 2024: report

Published 2026-07-02 · Updated 2026-07-02 · 3 min · 510 words

UPSC CSE Context

Why in News: CRS 2024 report shows over 99% birth and death registration, with sex ratio at birth at 917 females per 1000 males. Syllabus Connection: Society: population and associated issues, health, sex ratio; Governance: civil registration, data for policy. Exam Relevance: Data on registration and sex ratio at birth is useful for Mains questions on demographic trends, policy effectiveness, and social indicators. ## Core Issue India achieves near-universal birth/death registration; sex ratio at birth improves but varies across states. Stakeholders:

• Registrar General of India
• State governments
• Ministry of Home Affairs
• Health Ministry
• Women and Child Development Ministry ## Static Knowledge High-Value Background:
• Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Act, 1969 mandates compulsory registration.
• Sex ratio at birth (SRB) is the number of female births per 1000 male births; biological norm is around 950-970. Exam Linkage:
• Useful for questions on demographic indicators, civil registration, and policy evaluation. Concepts in Context:
• Civil Registration System (CRS) records vital events; its coverage affects demographic data reliability.
• Still births: fetal deaths after 28 weeks of pregnancy; urban tilt may reflect better reporting. Institutions and Mechanisms:
• RBD Act, 1969 provides legal framework for registration. ## Dynamic Analysis ### Society
• Improving SRB in some states indicates declining sex-selective abortions, but national average of 917 remains below biological norm.
• Top performers like Arunachal Pradesh (1050) show that matrilineal societies or better gender norms can achieve balanced SRB.
• Weak SRB in Nagaland, Lakshadweep, Jharkhand suggests persistent son preference or underreporting of female births.
• Urban tilt in still births (69%) may reflect better hospital reporting rather than higher incidence. ### Governance
• Near-universal registration (99%+) is a major administrative achievement, enabling evidence-based policy.
• Rise in registered births/deaths does not imply rising fertility/mortality but improved capture of events.
• Compliance with RBD Act remains uneven; states with low registration need targeted interventions.
• Simplified forms in 2006 likely contributed to improved registration rates. ### Data and Policy
• Reliable CRS data can replace sample surveys for demographic indicators, improving accuracy.
• High registration allows tracking of still births and SRB at granular level for targeted health programs.
• Data gaps in states with low registration hinder effective implementation of schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. ## Mains Value Addition Arguments:
• Universal registration is a prerequisite for reliable demographic data and effective policy planning.
• Improving SRB requires addressing deep-rooted son preference through legal, social, and economic measures.
• Urban-rural divide in still birth reporting highlights need for uniform health infrastructure. Examples:
• Arunachal Pradesh's SRB of 1050 shows that balanced sex ratios are achievable in certain socio-cultural contexts. Data Points:
• Birth registration: 99.1% (2024); Death registration: 99.4% (2024).
• Still births: 81,117 in 2024, with 69% in urban areas. Counterpoints:
• High registration does not guarantee data quality; misclassification or underreporting of sex may persist.
• SRB improvement may partly reflect better reporting of female births rather than actual decline in sex-selective abortions. ## Way Forward
• Strengthen enforcement of RBD Act in low-compliance states through incentives and technology.
• Improve still birth classification and reporting standards to address urban bias.
• Promote community awareness on mandatory registration and its importance for accessing entitlements.

Primary/reference source: thehindu.com