Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Kerala birth rates declining at twice the rate of national average: SRS 2021 data

The yearly crude commencement rates (live births per 1,000 radical successful the population) for Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Kerala are declining astatine doubly the complaint of the nationalist average, showed information from the Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report 2021, released by the Registrar General of India past week.  

The SRS 2021 information showed that the all-India crude commencement complaint was 19.3 successful 2021, dropping astatine a complaint of 1.12% each twelvemonth from 2016 to 2021. In comparison, in the aforesaid period, the commencement complaint for Tamil Nadu has been declining astatine a complaint of 2.35% each year, Delhi’s has been declining astatine a complaint of 2.23% and Kerala’s is dropping astatine a complaint of 2.05%. 

The information showed that the slowest complaint of diminution successful commencement complaint was seen successful States specified arsenic Rajasthan (0.48%), Bihar (0.86%), Chhattisgarh (0.98%), Jharkhand (0.98%), Assam (1.05%), Madhya Pradesh (1.05%), West Bengal (1.08%), and Uttar Pradesh (1.09%). The information further revealed that Uttarakhand was the lone State which saw a emergence successful commencement complaint successful this period.

The commencement rates information from the SRS 2021 further revealed that the complaint of diminution was faster than the nationalist mean for 13 ample States and national territories. All confederate States — Andhra Pradesh (1.26%), Telangana (1.67%), Karnataka (1.68%), Kerala, and Tamil Nadu — featured among these 13 ample States and national territories.  

Population trends

The SRS is the largest demographic survey successful the country, meant to supply yearly estimates connected fertility and mortality indicators specified arsenic commencement rates, decease rates, etc. Conducted successful 8,842 illustration units each implicit India with a illustration size of astir 84 lakh, the 2021 SRS survey information gave a representation of colonisation trends that person usually been work with figures reported successful decadal Censuses. The 2021 Census has not yet been conducted. 

Apart from the confederate States, commencement rates were seen declining faster than the nationalist mean for Maharashtra (1.57%), Gujarat (1.24%), Odisha (1.34%), Himachal Pradesh (1.29%), Haryana (1.21%), and Jammu and Kashmir (1.47%), with Punjab’s commencement complaint declining astir astatine the aforesaid complaint arsenic that of the nationalist average.  

Corresponding to this information acceptable successful the SRS 2021 Statistical Report, the Civil Registration System 2021 dataset showed that immoderate of the States seeing the slowest diminution successful commencement rates are besides reporting expanding fig of registered births.  

The Vital Statistics Report based connected CRS 2021 showed that the fig of registered births were seeing a emergence successful astir 11 States and national territories, which included Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland. 

The CRS 2021 dataset further showed that successful the confederate States of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala, the fig of registered births has been connected the diminution since astatine slightest 2012, with Andhra Pradesh seeing a flimsy uptick successful 2021. Telangana’s registered births saw a crisp uptick aft 2019 but pursuing 2020, determination was a melodramatic driblet successful these numbers.  

The SRS 2021 information connected full fertility complaint (TFR) and gross reproduction complaint (GRR) excessively correspond to the commencement complaint information — showing that States specified arsenic Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh had a TFR and GRR higher than the nationalist average.  

The TFR measures mean fig of children expected to beryllium calved per pistillate during her full span of reproductive period. While India’s TFR stood astatine 2 successful 2021, Bihar reported a TFR of 3, Uttar Pradesh had a TFR of 2.7, Rajasthan’s TFR was astatine 2.4 and Madhya Pradesh’s was 2.6.  

Similarly, the GRR for India stood astatine 1, meaning that connected an average, each pistillate successful India is having 1 girl who survives to reproductive property and has children of her own, according to the SRS 2021. In Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh the GRR was importantly higher than the India mean — astatine 1.4, 1.2, 1.2, and 1.3 respectively.  

However, for West Bengal, which reported rising registered births and amongst the slowest diminution successful crude commencement rates, the TFR stood astatine the lowest among bigger States and national territories astatine 1.4 and truthful did the GRR, which was astatine 0.7.  

Published - May 14, 2025 11:41 p.m. IST