Demography India Vol. 30, Issue 1, (2001)

From the Chief Editor’s Desk

The First census conducted in this new millenium has been quite revealing in more ways than one. Although the present level of literacy is far from satisfactory, the level in the country has shown substantial increase. In fact, the growth of the literate population outpaced that of total population, and, for the first time since independence, the number of illiterates declined. The growth of the literate population was observed in almost all the states, barring a few like Bihar.

The sex ratio of the population also showed an increase: the number of females per 1000 males increased from 927 in 1991 to 933 in 2001. The prospect of reversing the dreaded declining trend in the sex ratio, however, received a serious set back due to the sharp decline in the sex ratio of child population (age 0-6 years). This shattered the existing complacency. The child sex ratio reveals that the number of female children is much less than the number of male children, and, not only this, the ratio has fallen substantially from its level of 945 in 1991 to 927 in 2001. In Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat the decline is by 50 points or more. Noticeably, in all these states the level of the child sex ratio is below 900, and in Punjab it is less than 800.

The sex ratio of child population can be influenced by several factors. These are sex differentials in migration, sex differentials in enumeration, sex differential in mortality, and changes in the sex ratio at birth:
Migration: Compared to the size of the population, the volume of net migration is insignificant at the national as well as state level. Further, there is hardly any reason to believe that net migration will have a differential effect on female and male children.

Enumeration: The possibility that female children are underenumerated more than male children can not be ruled out. But underenumeration in the census is expected to improve over time. In addition, census 2001 took particular care to improve enumeration of women and children by taking various steps taken towards gender sensitization. For example, the census report notes In the Instruction Manual, special efforts were made to draw the attention of the enumerators and supervisors about the basic count of population, especially with a view to net better the elderly, and the unmarried woman as also the girl child in the household. Age misreporting can also affect the sex ratio of 0-6 population. For example, if more female children, compared to male children in 0-6 are reported as age 7 and above, it can lower the sex ratio. A preliminary analysis of sex ratio based on single year age returns from earlier censuses does not, however, support such a possibility.

Mortality: Higher female child mortality than male child mortality is a characteristic feature observed in some of the countries in this region, including India. The National Family Health Survey has shown that there exists strong preference for sons in the country. For example, according to NFHS-2 (1998-99), 47 percent of women with two daughters only desired to end child bearing as against 83 percent with two sons only. The extent of son preference varied by states, but it was found to be stronger in northern and central India compared to that in the southern India. The strong preference for sons gets manifested in different ways that affect the upbringing and care given to female children vis-a-vis male children. The survey also shows that child mortality is almost 50 percent higher for girls than for boys.

Sex ratio at birth: According to Sample Registration System, the sex ratio at birth in India, has been declining and is at a level where less than 900 female births occur per 1000 male births. Indications are ominous—the prevalence of sex selective abortion, with sex determination of foetus is being increasingly made possible through ultrasound method and/or amniocentesis. Moreover, chromosome separation technique has been developed to increase the probability of having a son. The exact contribution of the different factors, particularly sex differentials in mortality and sex ratio at birth in influencing the child sex ratio can be debated and requires further research. Not withstanding this, the indications are enough to take note of this dangerous trend and act accordingly.

It is rather unfortunate to see that as we progress (both economically as well as educationally), we find ourselves entangled in such an adverse socio-cultural development.

T. K. Roy
Chief Editor, Demography India