Age and Sex Structure in India

Age and sex structure are an important biological attributes of any population. These factors affect demographic structure, social, economic and political status of any society. In society, status and roles are culturally determined and varies with culture. In traditional societies, age demands respect. But the modern societies are more youth-oriented. As far as the sex structure is concerned, it is the reflection of the social reality.

The age-sex structure of any population is influenced and determined by the following factors:

• Birth and death rates,
• Internal and international migration,
• Marital status composition,
• Manpower, and
• Gross National Product.

Age Structure in India

With high birth rate and decrease in death rate, there is an increase in the proportion of young persons in India.  But in developed countries, low birth rate coupled with low death rate has resulted in aging population trend. So, generally, the age of morality determines the structure of population in India.

Presence of younger population in India is a burden to family and ultimately to the government. This is because the young population does not contribute to the economy of a country. Instead, the government has to satisfy the basic needs such as education, medical facilities, shelter, Clothing etc.

Measurement of Sex Structure

Sex ratio is the parameter used to study the age structure of a population. Sex ratio in India is computed as the number of females per 1,000 males. In India, as per Census 2011, the sex ratio stands at 940. In certain countries like France, this figure is more than 1000, that is, in these countries there are more than 1000 females per 1,000 males.

The following are the important factors that determine the sex atio of any population:

• Sex ratio at birth,
• Sex ratio of the deceased persons, and
• Sex ratio of the net migrants.

Of the three factors above, in Indian context, high mortality of females is the main reason for lower sex ratio. Over the centuries, females in India are in a socially and culturally disadvantaged position and hence have been accorded an inferior status.

Sex Ratio in India

Census 2011

• Sex ratio of India stands at 940 (2011), which is a marginal improvement from 933 registered in 2001 census.
• Kerala with 1,084 (among states) and Puducherry with 1,038 (among union territories) have registered high sex ratio in the country. Kerala is followed by Tamil Nadu (995), Andhra Pradesh (992), Chhattisgarh (991), Manipur (987), Meghalaya (986), Odisha (978), Mizoram (975), Himachal Pradesh (974) in this order. The other states which have a sex ratio higher than the national average are Karnataka (968), Goa (968), Uttarakhand (963), Tripura (961), Assam (954), Jharkhand (947) and West Bengal (947).
• Haryana with a sex ratio of 877 is the state with the lowest sex ratio in the country. Apart from Haryana, the states such as Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Punjab, are the other states with worst sex ratio in the country.
• The major reason for the sex ratio contrasts between Kerala and Haryana is the status of women in the two states. While the position of women is better in Kerala, it is relatively worst in Haryana. Another reason is while Kerala experiences male-selective out migration in search of employment, Haryana experiences male-selective in-migration in locations near the National Capital Territory of Delhi. In addition, in case of Haryana, strong preference for male child has encouraged female foeticide in the state resulting in low sex ratio.

Other Facts

• There exists disparity between North and South India in terms of sex ratio. While South India has high sex ratio, the north India continues to have low sex ratio.
• Similarly, there exists disparity between north-eastern and north-western India in terms of sex ratio. While north-eastern India has high sex ratio, the north-western India continues to have low sex ratio.
• Western India has a moderate sex ratio which is close to the national average.
• Christian dominant regions have relatively high sex ratio. Similarly, the tribal regions also have high sex ratio.
• Hilly regions in north India have high sex ratio predominantly due to male-selective out migration.
• Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Western Uttar Pradesh are the traditional areas where the sex ratio is generally lower. These areas are also notoriously known for female foeticide.
• The regional contrasts in sex ratio are due to the following factors:
  • Status of women,
  • Migration pattern, and
  • Extent of female foeticide.
• In India, there also exist differences in sex ratio between rural-urban areas, various religious groups, and social groups. In India, rural areas have a better sex ratio of 947 when compared with urban areas which have a sex ratio of 926 females. This pattern is strikingly different when compared with the Western countries. The rural-urban differential in the sex ratio is predominantly due to the sex selective migration of males from rural areas to urban areas for employment opportunities.
• Among the religious groups, Christians have the highest sex ratio of 1,023 while Sikhs have the lowest sex ratio of 903. Sex ratio of Hindus with 929 is below the national average. On the other hand, Muslims in the country have a relatively better sex ratio of 951.
• Traditionally, the scheduled tribes had the highest sex ratio among all communities in India. The tribal belt of central India has high sex ratio. Overall, the sex ratio for the scheduled tribes as a whole is much better at 990.

Child Sex ratio in India

• Child sex ratio in India is both low and declining. According to Census 2011, India has an average child sex ratio of only 914 against a general sex ratio of 940. The ratio was far better at 945 in 1991. But it has declined to 927 in 2001 and 914 in 2011. Thus in just two decades, the child sex ratio has declined by 31 points. In fact, the child sex ratio has been witnessing continuous fall since 1961. In 1961, the ratio was 976.
• During 2001-2011, only six states witnessed an increase in child sex ratio. They are Punjab (798 to 846), Haryana (819 to 830), Mizoram (964 to 971), Himachal Pradesh (896 to 906), Tamil Nadu (964 to 971) and Gujarat (883 to 886). Among the union territories, Chandigarh (845 to 867) and Andaman and Nicobar Islands (957 to 966) have witnessed an increase in child sex ratio. In remaining states and UTs, the child sex ratio has declined. The sharpest fall in the ratio has been registered in Jammu and Kashmir, where the ratio declined from 941 to 859 in a decade (2001-2011).
• Among the tribes in India, the data from the latest census has showed that that the situation is worsening as the sex ratio registered in the age group of 0-6 years is significantly lower at 957 though better than the national average. Only two tribal groups, namely, Bhottadas/Dhotadas and Bhuias/Bhuyans, both from Odisha have a child sex ratio of over 1000. In rest of the tribal communities, the child sex ratio is dripping with boys outnumbering the girls.
• While a total of 102 districts had a sex ratio greater than 1000, in case of child sex ratio, only 3 districts, namely, Lahul and Spiti (1,013), Tawang (1,005) and Dakshin Bastar Dantewada (1,005) have a higher child sex ratio. This data is suggestive of the fact that the female foeticide is spreading to all parts of the country.

In India, it becomes difficult to change the mind-set and value system of the society ingrained with patriarchal mindset. But with increasing literacy rates coupled with positive role of electronic media and strong government policies, it can be possible to improve the sex ratio in the country. In case of the child sex ratio, exhaustive ante-natal tracking and regular counselling of mothers would help improve it.