Alarming drop: Haryana's sex ratio at birth hits 8-year low of 910 in 2024

Five Haryana districts - Charkhi Dadri, Faridabad, Gurugram, Rewari, and Rohtak - reported sex ratio below 900

At 910 females per 1,000 males, Haryana has in 2024 reported its lowest sex ratio at birth in eight years, with a six-point decline compared to 2023.

 

Data from Civil Registration System (CRS) up to December 2024 reveals that the sex ratio at birth fell to 910 females per 1,000 males, down from 916 in 2023. This marks the lowest figure since 2016, when it stood at 900, according to a report by Hindustan Times.  

 

The sex ratio at birth is a significant measure of gender equality.  

 

Nationally, India's average sex ratio at birth was 933 in 2022-23, according to a recent statement in the parliament. Historical data shows the ratio at 943 during the 2011 Census and 929 in the fifth National Family Health Survey conducted between 2019 and 2021.  

 

 

Low sex ratio remains a concern in Haryana

 

Haryana has frequently been noted for having the lowest sex ratio in the country, often linked to societal bias against the girl child and inadequate enforcement of laws against female infanticide.

 

The decline in 2024 is concerning, particularly as the state had shown progress following the 2015 launch of the “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” campaign, the report said, quoting experts associated with the initiative.  

 

Haryana's sex ratio at birth was 832 in 2012, 868 in 2013, and 871 in 2014. It rose to 876 in 2015, 900 in 2016, and 914 in 2017, 2018, and 2021. The highest figures were recorded in 2019 (923) and 2020 (922). However, it declined again to 917 in 2022 and 916 in 2023.  

 

In 2024, five Haryana districts – Charkhi Dadri (869), Faridabad (899), Gurugram (899), Rewari (873), and Rohtak (888) – reported sex ratio below 900, according to the data.

 

Yamunanagar recorded the highest sex ratio at birth in the state at 939 in 2024, followed by Sirsa at 936 and Fatehabad at 925. The steepest declines in the sex ratio at birth between 2023 and 2024 were observed in Charkhi Dadri (28-point drop), Palwal (37-point drop), and Gurugram (29-point drop), the report said.

 

Meanwhile, improvements were noted in Yamunanagar and Karnal, each with an 18-point rise, Sirsa with an 11-point increase, and Bhiwani with a 12-point gain.