Telangana Sex Ratio at Birth Drops to 910 Girls Per 1,000 Boys

HYDERABAD — Telangana recorded a low sex ratio at birth of 910 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2024, according to the latest data from the Civil Registration System. The figure represents a sharp 43-point decline over the last five years and places the state at the bottom among all southern Indian states.

Although the 2024 figure of 910 shows a marginal improvement from the 906 girls recorded in 2023, it remains significantly below the national average of 933. The state registered a total of 7.7 lakh births in 2024, which included 4,03,397 boys and 3,67,219 girls.

The current numbers mark a stark reversal from 2019, when Telangana recorded a sex ratio at birth of 953. Since then, the ratio has steadily declined, dropping to 937 in 2020, 922 in 2021, 907 in 2022, and reaching its lowest point of 906 in 2023 before the minor recovery this year.

Among major Indian states, only Jharkhand (890), Bihar (894), and Gujarat (908) reported a lower sex ratio at birth than Telangana in 2024. Haryana tied with Telangana at 910. In contrast, other southern states performed much better, with Kerala recording a ratio of 970, Karnataka at 946, Tamil Nadu at 938, and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh at 929.

To calculate these figures, the Civil Registration System adjusted for delayed registrations by excluding births registered more than a year after they occurred. In 2024, Telangana registered 11,533 births after a delay of more than one year.

Health and social experts have expressed deep concern over the trend. Dr. Subodh Kandamuthan, professor and director at the Administrative Staff College of India, noted that the low ratio indicates a future drop in female workforce participation. He emphasized the need for gender budgeting to strengthen women's empowerment and welfare schemes, alongside improvements in nutrition and maternal health for girls.

Sabu Mathew George, an activist who has worked for more than three decades on curbing female foeticide, called the trajectory worrying, especially as historically low-performing states like Haryana have shown improvement. He warned that if the trend continues, a shrinking female population could lead to increased social tensions, violence, and difficulties for poorer men finding brides.