India now has more women than men but sex ratio at birth still low

NFHS 2019-2021 indicates that India has made significant strides in the last five years - in 2015-16, the sex ratio was just 991

India’s overall sex ratio — women per thousand men — is now at a level seen in developed countries. For every 1,000 men, India has 1,020 women. If that’s a reason to celebrate, there is a cause for concern, too, since the sex ratio at birth continues to be lower than what is naturally expected. The fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS), from where this data comes, has also found that the sex ratio is better in rural areas compared to urban centres.

NFHS 2019-2021 indicates that India has made significant strides in the last five years — in 2015-16,