The CRS 2024 data released on 30 June 2026 indicate that India is approaching complete coverage of birth and death registration. While overall registration has risen, the sex ratio at birth (SRB) shows improvement in a few states but remains uneven across the country.
Key Developments
- Registered births increased from 252.1 lakh (2023) to 254.7 lakh (2024).
- Registered deaths rose from 86.6 lakh (2023) to 89.4 lakh (2024).
- National birth‑registration coverage reached 99.1 % and death‑registration coverage 99.4 %.
- Thirteen states achieved >90 % birth registration; fifteen states achieved >90 % death registration.
- Overall SRB for India is 917 females per 1,000 males.
- Top‑performing regions for SRB: Kerala (970), Arunachal Pradesh (1,050), Andaman & Nicobar Islands (984), Meghalaya (974), Mizoram (972).
- Lowest SRB: Nagaland (865), Lakshadweep (865), Jharkhand (890).
- Stillbirths in 2024 numbered 81,117, with 69 % occurring in urban areas.
Important Facts
- The RBD Act, 1969 underpins the registration system, but compliance varies by state.
- Form simplification in December 2006 removed redundant fields, making registration more user‑friendly.
- Higher urban stillbirths suggest gaps in maternal‑health services in cities.
- Improved registration does not imply rising fertility or mortality; it reflects better data capture.
Exam Relevance
Understanding CRS data is crucial for GS 3 (Demography) as it informs population‑policy decisions, health‑care planning, and gender‑balance initiatives. The SRB figures illustrate the persistence of son‑preference, a topic linked to social‑policy debates in GS 4 (Ethics) and GS 3 (Economy) regarding gender equity and labour‑force participation. State‑wise variations highlight federal challenges, relevant to GS 2 (Polity) when assessing implementation of the RBD Act.
Way Forward
- Strengthen enforcement of the RBD Act in low‑coverage states.
- Launch targeted awareness campaigns in regions with low SRB to curb sex‑selective practices.
- Improve urban maternal‑health infrastructure to reduce stillbirths.
- Leverage near‑full registration data for evidence‑based policy, especially in health, education, and gender‑equity programmes.
- Monitor SRB trends annually to assess impact of interventions such as the SRB indicators.