India's Birth Registration Improves, Sex Ratio Shows Mixed Gains

India's Civil Registration System (CRS) 2024 data, released recently, indicates enhanced registration across the nation. The sex ratio at birth shows improvement in some regions, though progress is uneven among states and union territories. Nationally, the sex ratio at birth is 917 females for every 1,000 males.

Kerala demonstrates strong performance with 970 females per 1,000 males, alongside other high-ranking regions like Arunachal Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Conversely, Nagaland and Lakshadweep report the weakest figures. The CRS report also highlights that birth registration reached 99.1% and death registration 99.4% in 2024, signifying comprehensive data capture.

The number of still births recorded in 2024 was 81,117, with a significant urban concentration. The expansion of the civil registration system is crucial for understanding India's demographic shifts. Despite mandatory registration laws, consistent compliance remains a challenge in many states, though simplified forms have been implemented to improve user-friendliness.