Context:
Bihar has recorded the lowest sex ratio at birth for 2022 among all States and Union Territories, reporting just 891 girls born for every 1,000 boys, according to the Civil Registration System’s vital statistics report, released this week by the Office of the Registrar General of India.
Key Finding: Bihar’s Declining Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB)
- Lowest in India: Bihar reported an SRB of 891 girls per 1,000 boys in 2022 — the lowest among all States and Union Territories.
- Three-Year Decline:
- 2020: 964
- 2021: 908
- 2022: 891
- Bihar is the only State with consistent SRB decline since 2020, when sex ratio at birth data became available.
States with Low SRB in 2022
- Maharashtra: 906
- Telangana: 907
- Gujarat: 908
States/UTs with High SRB in 2022
- Nagaland: 1,068 (Highest in India)
- Arunachal Pradesh: 1,036
- Ladakh: 1,027
- Meghalaya: 972
- Kerala: 971
- Assam: 933 (Improved from 863 in 2021)
CRS 2022: National Birth and Death Trends
Registered Births
- Total Registered Births: 254.4 lakh (↑ from 242 lakh in 2021)
- Gender Distribution:
- Males: 52.4%
- Females: 47.6%
- Urban-Rural Split:
- Urban: 56.5%
- Rural: 43%
State-wise Birth Registration Trends (2013–2022)
- Increasing Birth Registrations:
- Uttar Pradesh
- Bihar
- Madhya Pradesh
- Telangana
- Uttarakhand
- Declining or Fluctuating Trends:
- Tamil Nadu
- Kerala
- Himachal Pradesh
- Punjab
- Delhi
Stillbirths
- 2022: 1.15 lakh
- 2021: 1.24 lakh (↓ Decline in stillbirths)
Registered Deaths in 2022
- Total: 86.5 lakh (↓ from 102.2 lakh in 2021; back to near pre-pandemic levels)
- COVID-19 Undercount in 2021: CRS 2021 had revealed possible under-reporting of COVID deaths.
- Gender Share:
- Men: 60.4%
- Women: 39.6%
- Urban-Rural Split:
- Rural: 59.5%
- Urban: 40.5%
Delayed Reporting and Status of Demographic Surveys
- The government released CRS and MCCD reports for 2022, but Sample Registration System (SRS) 2022 is still pending.
- SRS: Provides annual estimates for fertility and mortality rates — crucial for population planning and policy.
