India’s Fertility Rate Drops below Replacement Level Context: According to the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) report for 2024, India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) defined as the average number of children born to a woman has declined further, dropping from 2.1 to 1.9. Fertility Rates in Most Indian States Have Fallen Below Replacement Level With the exception of six states Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has dropped below the replacement level in all other states. The rate is lowest in Delhi (1.2), followed by Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, where the Total Fertility Rate stands at 1.3. A Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 is referred to as the "replacement level." This is because if a woman bears an average of 2.1 children over her lifetime, this is sufficient to replace herself and her husband. An analysis of the percentage change observed in the decade preceding this report reveals that Bihar has experienced the smallest decline in its Total Fertility Rate (TFR). The TFR in Bihar, which stood at 3.2 during 2012–14, dropped to 2.9 during 2022–24 a decline of merely 9.4%. The Total Fertility Rate remains relatively high in two states: Chhattisgarh and Assam. These states witnessed a comparatively modest decline of 11.5% and 13%, respectively.
