Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) continues to worsen in India, falling from 898 in 2013 to 887 in 2014, new data from Civil Registration System (CRS) released by the Office of the Registrar General of India show. The ratio has been declining since 2011 when the figure was 909.
The SRB based on CRS figures indicate the gap between ‘registered’ male and female births, calculated as the number of females per thousand males. Manipur (684), Rajasthan (799) and Tamil Nadu (834) fare the worst. The highest SRB has been reported by Lakshadweep (1043), followed by Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1031) and Arunachal Pradesh (993).
Data from the Sample Registration System (SRS) — also published by the office of RGI — is considered to be a more reliable source for demographic statistics because of inadequate coverage of CRS. The level of registration of births with CRS, however, has been improving. In 2014, it is estimated that 88.8 per cent births were registered, up from 85.6 per cent in 2013. Plus, 16 states or UTs recorded all births. 14 out of 20 major States crossed the 90 per cent level of registration of births in 2014.
Data show that the majority of births in 2014 occurred in an institution — government or private hospital. Institutional delivery accounted for 72 per cent of all births, data show. Another 14.1 per cent births were attended by physicians/nurse/midwife. However, around 3.8 per cent of the cases were still attended by an untrained midwife.
38.7 per cent of the total registered deaths had occurred in institutions while 23.3 per cent did not receive any medical attention at the time of death. Only about 8.0 per cent of the deceased received medical attention from qualified allopathic professional.
