India's Sex Ratio Sees Slow Climb, Still Below Natural Levels

India's sex ratio at birth (SRB) has edged upward from its lowest point, but the improvement is marginal. Recent data for 2022-24 indicate an SRB of 918 girls for every 1,000 boys, a slight increase from the 896 recorded in 2015-17. This figure is still considerably lower than the natural, biologically expected ratio of around 952 girls per 1,000 boys.

The latest figures suggest that India's long-standing issue of "missing girls" has somewhat eased but not been resolved. Over nearly two decades, the national SRB has improved by only four points compared to the 2005-07 period. Notably, the SRB in rural India has worsened, while urban areas, once perceived as more prone to sex selection, now exhibit a better SRB.

Experts caution against interpreting minor year-to-year fluctuations, especially in smaller regions, emphasizing the importance of analyzing three-year averages and longer trends. With declining fertility rates and the trend towards smaller families, some Indian states might experience an increase in "son-only" families, posing future challenges to the sex ratio.