India’s Fertility Rate Plummets: Insights and Implications

India’s fertility rate has witnessed a significant decline over the decades, plummeting from nearly 6.2 in 1950 to just under 2 in 2021. According to a recent study published in The Lancet journal, this trend is expected to continue, with the fertility rate projected to fall further to 1.29 in 2050 and 1.04 in 2100. These figures mirror global trends, where the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has declined from over 4.8 children per woman in 1950 to 2.2 children per woman in 2021. The reasons behind this decline are multifaceted, including factors such as better access to education, urbanization, improved healthcare leading to enhanced family planning and contraception use, rising living costs, and changing societal attitudes towards marriage and parenthood.

While India grapples with the challenges posed by declining fertility rates, it also faces implications such as an aging population, labor force shortages, and potential social imbalances due to gender preferences. Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director of Population Foundation of India (PFI), emphasizes the need for proactive measures to address these challenges. Economic policies stimulating growth and job creation, coupled with social security and pension reforms, are essential for adapting to and mitigating the impacts of declining fertility rates. Moreover, as low-income countries continue to experience high fertility rates, efforts to tackle climate change and its associated challenges become increasingly urgent, particularly in vulnerable regions prone to extreme weather events.