Sex Ratio in India

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released the Women and Men in India 2022 report.

About Report

• Sex Ratio:
  • The sex ratio at birth went up by three points to 907 in 2018-20 from 904 in 2017-19.
  • India’s sex ratio (females per 1,000 males) is expected to improve to 952 by 2036, up significantly from 943 in 2011.
• Labour Force Participation:
  • India’s Labour Force Participation Rate for those above 15 years of age has been on the rise since 2017-2018. However, women are severely lagging behind men.
    • The rate was 77.2 for males and 32.8 for females in 2021-22, with no improvement in this disparity over the years.
  • Less participation is due to social factors, educational qualifications and gender discrimination in terms of wages and opportunities in the workplace.
• Population Growth:
  • The population growth, already on a downward trend from 2.2% in 1971 to 1.1% in 2021, is projected to fall further to 0.58% in 2036.
  • In absolute figures, this translates into 1.2 billion people with 48.5% female population as per Census 2011 to an expected 1.5 billion in 2036 with a marginal improvement in the female population share (48.8%).

• Age of Sex Structure:
  • India’s age and sex structure, as per which the population under 15 years of age is expected to decline and the population above 60 years is expected to increase by 2036.
  • Accordingly, the population pyramid will undergo a shift as the base of the pyramid in 2036 will narrow down, while the middle will be broadened.
    • The age and sex structure of a country’s population can affect gender issues in a variety of ways. Age structure impacting various aspects of societies is determined primarily by trends in fertility and mortality.

• Access to Health Information and Services:
  • Lack of access to resources and decision-making power, restrictions on mobility, etc make access to health information and services more difficult for women and girls than men and boys.
• Fertility Rate:
  • The age-specific fertility rate for the 20-24 year and 25-29 age groups between 2016 and 2020 reduced from 135.4 and 166.0 to 113.6 and 139.6 respectively.
    • This is likely a function of economic independence by attaining proper education and securing a job.
  • The same indicator for the 35-39 age group increased from 32.7 in 2016 to 35.6 in 2020.
    • The mean marriage age has improved marginally from 22.1 years in 2017 to 22.7 years in 2020.