India’s annual report on Vital Statistics has recently been released, shedding light on data from the 2020 Civil Registration System (CRS). As per this report, Ladakh, a Union Territory of India, recorded the highest sex ratio at birth in the country in 2020. Sex ratio at birth, also known as the number of females born per thousand males, is a crucial indicator in assessing a population’s gender gap. This report has been presented by the Registrar General of India.
About the Registrar General of India
Formed in 1961 under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Registrar General of India is responsible for organizing, conducting, and examining the results of India’s demographic surveys. This includes the Census of India and Linguistic Survey of India. A civil servant holding the rank of Joint Secretary is typically appointed as the Registrar.
The Role of Civil Registration System (CRS) in India
A continuous, permanent, compulsory, and universal recording process of vital events such as births, deaths, and stillbirths is adopted in India through the CRS. The generated data, which is essential for socio-economic planning, is made feasible through this timely and comprehensive system. The enactment of the Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD), Act 1969, made this recording mandatory in India and is done based on the event’s location.
The Central government has plans to overhaul the CRS, according to the 2020-21 annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs. These changes will allow real-time registration of births and deaths with minimal human interface and location independence.
Understanding the RBD Act
Introduced in 1969 to promote uniformity in the registration of births and deaths across the country, the RBD Act aids in compiling vital statistics. Since its enactment, the mandatory registration of births, deaths, and stillbirths has been managed by the functionaries appointed by the state governments. Sub-ordinate offices of the Office of the Registrar General, known as the directorates of Census Operations, monitor the Act’s functioning within their state or Union Territory.
Highlights of the Vital Statistics Report
Ladakh reported the highest Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) in 2020 at 1104, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Tripura, and Kerala. In contrast, states such as Manipur, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh recorded the lowest SRB.
The report also shed light on the varying birth rates across states. Nagaland, Puducherry, Telangana were among the states that saw a decrease in the registered birth rate, while states like Bihar, Haryana, Sikkim witnessed an increase.
In terms of death rates, an increase was seen in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and several other states, with Bihar seeing the most significant increase. However, states including Manipur, Chandigarh, Telangana saw a decrease in death rates in comparison to the previous year.
Finally, the report pointed out that there were 1,43,379 infant deaths registered in 2020, with rural areas accounting for just 23.4% of this number. Non-registration of infant deaths in rural areas, especially in case of domiciliary events, was highlighted as a significant concern.